Egyptian Miracles
by Dragon n Desidera
Summary: (COMPLETE(Sequel to Egyptian Dreams: SetoxYami) Seto is now back in his time. What will happen when he goes to see Yami with the gift that was given to him from Seth?
1. Chapter 1

Dragon: Hello! Well here is part 2 of the Egyptian Trilogy. If you haven't read part 1, Egyptian Dreams, we suggest you do. After all you will miss how we got to this point.

Seto: So go read damnit!

Dragon: -rolls eyes- such a sweet, loveable jerk isn't he?

Yami: -grins- Yep!

Desidera: So now on with it. Uh, that's gonna be a hard job convincing Yami. –smiles at Seto-

(Yugi talking)

((Yami talking))

Buildings few by in a blur as the limo drove down the street heading to the Game Shop. All Mokuba could do was blink at his brother when Seto had finished telling him his tale of the events that had happened. The young Kaiba's mind was nothing but a puddle of mush as he tried to make sense of everything he had heard. His brother truly believed he had been in Ancient Egypt for the past month, when he knew for a fact that Seto had never left Japan.

But several things couldn't be denied. One, Seto was clutching a rather strange looking bottle in his hand; something that he said was given to him by the High Priest Seth. Two, Seto was talking about the past like he believed in it. That in it's self was enough to make the younger Kaiba think his brother was losing it. After everything that happened in Battle City, Seto outright refused to believe anything that Yugi-tachi and Isis told him about the events that led to the final battles. Mokuba remember quite clearly that ride in the helicopter when Yugi told him that he was the spirit of an ancient pharaoh. Seto had rebuked the remark and told him not to feed Mokuba's mind with those tales.

Three, and most important, was that Seto said he had fallen in love. But not with a girl or a guy, no he had given his heart to his greatest rival and a spirit no less. Even though, Mokuba could clearly see the smile on his face and the warmth in his normally icy eyes when he talked about Atemu.

When the limo stopped it brought the younger Kaiba out of his musings and he turned to face Seto who was looking rather nervously at the Game Shop.

"Big brother, are you alright?"

Seto continued to stare out the window, "Yeah, just wondering how he will react. I mean it's not like we're on the best of terms."

"Well if the situation was reversed, think how you would act and he will probably act exactly like that."

Seto snorted. He knew exactly what he would do if the spirit had come to him with some strange potion telling him to trust him and drink it. Let's just say it wouldn't be a pleasant sight.

Steeling his courage, Seto opened the door and stepped out. Waiting for his brother to follow him, he told his driver to wait for them. Glancing once more at the imposing building, he walked towards it. He knew he would have to put aside his pride if he was going to make the Game King trust him enough to give him the rod and drink the strange liquid. He still had no idea what the Sennen Rod was needed for but if Seth said it was required then he would have to get his hands on it.

He just hoped that they still thought of him as the true owner and would turn it over. It was just going to take some convincing, something he wasn't sure if he would be able to do since last time they had talked about the past, Seto had told them it was nothing but fairytales.

With a sigh, he pushed open the front door to the game shop. He held the door open and let his brother inside first since he knew he was on better terms with both Yugi and the spirit than he was. Closing the door behind them, they began to walk towards the counter when they heard a familiar greeting.

"Hi Mokuba, Kaiba. What are you two doing here?" Yugi asked from his stool behind the glass display case when he saw the two brothers enter his grandfather's shop.

"Hi Yugi!" The younger one said with his child-like enthusiasms. "My brother wanted to talk to you."

Yugi's face held a look of confusion. Kaiba wanted to see him? That was strange.

((Probably wants to challenge us)) Yami's voice echoed through his mind.

Yugi mentally nodded his head at his other self's words. It made sense to him since there usually wasn't any other reason the CEO would want him.

"Kaiba, I would love to duel you but I can't right now. My grandfather is away for a few weeks and I have to mind the shop."

Seto shook his head, "I didn't come to challenge you. Actually I came to talk to the other Yugi."

"Yami?" he asked as he felt the spirit stir and go on the defensive.

"If that's what you call him then yes I would like to speak to Yami." Seto eyed Yugi, willing himself to keep his temper in check. He had no patience and it was slowly being tried. He wanted to get this over with so he could see the end results.

"Why do you want to talk to him? You never believed in him before, why the change now?" he asked suspiciously.

Seto sighed. Of course, this had to come...

"I would like to tell him alone, but since I think you two don't keep secrets from each other...well....Let's say some changes come over night. I had a dream that wasn't and well....I know it sounds strange but..."

'Damn', he thought, 'I'm making a fool out of myself'

((Yugi? Pinch me. Seto Kaiba can't actually be nervous, right?))

(It's strange indeed. Something must be really bothering him. But it's a good thing he finally seems to believe in you, isn't it, Yami?)

((I know what you're thinking aibou, and no, I still don't like him.))

(Oh, come on, I know you're pacing nervously in your soul room since he said he wants to talk to you.)

((I'm not! I'm just watchful.))

Meanwhile Seto mentally scolded himself, 'You idiot! Imagine the High Priest was standing behind you, he'd laugh so hard he'd lose his tunic.'

That thought did it and he finally continued his sentence, "Last night I was...in Ancient Egypt. And I know for a fact that it wasn't a dream because items that appear in your dreams aren't there anymore in the morning. But this was." He held up the vial as Yugi stared.

"And what's this?", he wanted to know.

"A gift to Yami, your other. And to me as well."

"Who gave you this?" Yugi was still extremely suspicious and he really couldn't blame him. How was he to convince them?

"The High Priest Seth, my past self", he answered carefully.

"Seth?" Yugi asked. "So that was your name back then. If you know his name do you happen to know Yami's true name?" A small glimmer of hope shown in his violet colored eyes. If Seto knew the spirit's name, then his guardian would finally have a piece of vital information about himself.

((Don't tell me you are starting to believe him?))

(I don't know, but Seto has never lied to us before and even you have to admit that this is way out of character for him. So maybe…)

((Aibou..)) the spirit whispered, ((Do you really think…))

(That he knows your name? Maybe, but don't you think it's worth a shot? I mean nothing else we have done has gotten us any closer to your true past)

((Maybe, but I will not get my hopes up))

Seto waited till Yugi's eyes cleared before he answered the question. He hoped this would help convince them he was telling the truth, but he doubted it. Yami knew nothing about his past and everything he was telling them would be considered under suspicion.

"Yes, Seth told me his name before I left. Does Atemu ring a bell?"

Yugi felt Yami stiffen as they heard the name fall from Seto's lips. Biting his lip, he gently probed Yami's mental barriers for any sign of recognition to foreign word. A small wave of confusion, hope, sadness, and longing hit him, but then it was gone and replaced with anger.

Suddenly Seto was staring into dark crimson eyes.

"Alright", the other Yugi growled, "What do you really want? You can't expect us to believe you so suddenly, now that you have denied everything we told you about your past for so long."

"I know", Seto said. "I know, and I have no idea how to convince you, I only know I must. I will tell you what I experienced tonight, alright?"

"Alright", Yami mumbled, "You can sit down here."

He pulled a few chairs out of a corner.

They sat down and Seto began to tell his tale. He left out everything concerning his attraction towards the pharaoh, though, and he didn't go into detail, describing Atemu's and Seth's relationship, only that they were very close....

Yami's eyes seemed glued to his, as if searching for a sign that he indeed could believe him, now that he told him the answers he had been looking for since Yugi had pulled him out of that puzzle.

The spirit seemed torn, wanting his tale to be true, but still unable to trust him enough.

When he had finished, Yami took a deep breath. "And how can you prove to me this is indeed true? Why would you want to help me? Why would my past rival want to help me?"

Seto desperately searched his mind for some excuse; anything that could avoid him telling Yugi's other the true reason.

Mokuba however, seeing his plight and deciding it could only do harm if his brother didn't tell everything, jumped in, adding, "Because they weren't just friends in the past. They fell for each other, didn't they?" He looked at Seto, signaling him if he wanted to do this he'd have to do it right.

So Seto nodded, averting the spirit's gaze.

"To tell you the truth, Seto Kaiba...", he then heard Yami's voice, "I'm sure you can imagine what you would do, were our roles reversed. I don't know how you can expect me to trust you like this. You could just poison me to regain your title as the King of Games."

"I would never do such a thing", Seto growled, horrified Yami would even think this.

"I know", the other sighed. "But still, I don't only risk my own life but Yugi's as well. I carry the responsibility for two lives, I couldn't bear to hurt my aibou in any way."

Seto nodded again, understanding.

"Show me this", Yami then said, taking the bottle out of Seto's hand and holding it in front of his eyes for closer inspection. Suddenly, there was a flash of gold from the puzzle.

_Yami stared down in surprise, and suddenly his mind was swimming. Darkness crept up on the edges until it had engulfed his whole vision. Suddenly a small light was lit, like a torch in a long, dark corridor. He could make out two silhouettes in a corner, holding each other. Then he heard their voices._

"_Shhhh", one of them whispered, "don't cry we'll meet again. We'll be together again in the future."_

_The other sounded desperate, his voice tearful and panicked, "I can't, I just can't!!! Why are the gods doing this to me?!? Stay with me!! Stay, you're all I have! I'm so scared."_

_A soft, broken whisper, "Oh Ra, I can't see you like this. I can't bear you crying like this. I promise you, I promise I'll always be there. I promise I'll come to you in the future. My incarnation, I told him what to do, he will give your future self a new chance of life."_

_A quiet sob, "...Hold me while you do it, alright?....I want to be in your arms, when I...."_

"_Of course"_

_A gust of wind blew out the torch and there was darkness again_.

When the puzzle's golden glow died down, confused violet eyes met Seto's blue ones.

"Where is he?", Yugi whispered. "He was there a second ago. But now his mind is far, he's still there but so far away." Then his eyes narrowed. "What have you done to him?!?", he hissed.

"Nothing!", Seto snarled, but at the same moment, Yugi gave a gasp and his eyes became unfocused.

(Yami!!! What happened?)

((I...don't know, aibou. I had a vision...it was....it was in Ancient Egypt, I think....))

(Yami? You're upset....You're crying! What did you see?)

((I have to talk to him...I'm coming out, alright?))

A confused Seto was suddenly faced with his crimson-eyed rival again.

"You are no sorcerer, Kaiba. Magic isn't your style. But this was magic, and it makes me start to believe there is more behind this than you trying to trick me."

"What? Magic?"

"I had a vision. A scene from Egypt, I think."

"What happened?", Seto demanded breathless, concerned that something had gone wrong in the past and this was Seth's warning.

"Someone was comforting their lover, shortly before something terrible would happen to him. And that someone was telling him he would be with him in the future and that his incarnation would know what to do...and....I believe after all you told me I know who it was that I saw."

Seto bent his head. "Yes, it was Seth and you – Atemu. It must have been right before the sealing took place." he whispered, "So you believe me now?"

Yami bit his lip.

((What do you say, Yugi?))

(I didn't see the vision, Yami you alone can decide this. But I don't think Seto would hurt us. It's not his style either.)

((You are right about that, aibou.))

(Yami?)

((I think this is the only chance I'll ever get, aibou. And its easier trusting Seto Kaiba than most other people I know))

"I do", the spirit then replied confidently, "I will try this"

Seto gave him a true smile when he heard those words. "I was also told I would need to Sennen Rod for this to work. Do you still have it?"

Yami raised an elegant eyebrow, "Of course.." he turned and looked at the clock, "It's nearly lunch time. I'll close the shop and we can go into the house and proceed, that is if you have the time?"

"My whole day is free, so don't worry about it."

Mokuba watched in silence as the two had spoken. He couldn't believe that his brother was going to do this, but then again his brother had shown emotions today to someone else other than himself. Mentally he jumped for joy at this turn of events. Maybe, just maybe this would all turn out alright and his brother would have someone to be there for him in ways that he could not.

Slate gray eyes lingered on the spirit, now known as Atemu, as he went and flipped the sign on the door. For a brief second, he could have sworn he caught a glimpse of fear in his normally cold, calculating eyes. A smile broke on the younger Kaiba's face as he followed the two back towards the living area of the building.

Maybe miracles can happen.


	2. Chapter 2

We are very very sorry for the confusion this chapter created. But it's not our fault, FFNet unfortunately mixed the two chapters up and we couldn't replace it. We hope it works now. Thanks fo your patience.

Seto: Muahahaha!  
Yami: what's gotten into him?  
Dragon: this chapter and we are going to test his sanity throughout this whole story.  
Desidera: So let's see what you readers think about it...Thanks for all the reviews by the way!! We're glad you like this!

**Note: **_Italics means Seto and Atemu are talking through the Sennen Rod_

Seto waited patiently at the bottom of the stairs for Yami to come back down. Mokuba and him had been left in the living room while the spirit went to go retrieve the Rod. He was relieved that they both had decided to believe him and give the potion a shot. Smiling to himself, he wondered exactly what was going to happen. Oh, he had his ideas but Seth had never come right out and told him what the result would be.

Soft footsteps brought him out of his musing and he looked up to see the spirit walking calmly down the steps with the Sennen Rod in his right hand. Seto gulped when he felt uneasiness in his stomach at the sight of it. This long golden object had been a part of the torment he went through during Battle City. He remembered all too well the duels they had been faced with because of Marik's mind slaves. And none of it would have happened if it weren't for this mystical object.

"I believe this belongs to you now Kaiba." Yami said as he held the rod out to him. "Are you sure you want to do this? Once you have used it you will be come bonded to it and it's power. There will be no turning back."

Seto eyed it wearily, not moving towards it or away from it. Did he want to be bound to such an object for the rest of his life? Yami was giving him an option. He could turn away from it now, led his normal life and forget all that's happened. But if he did that then he wouldn't get his chance with the person standing in front of him. This brave, powerful, exotic, alluring person would be lost to him and Seth if he turned his back. No, he will not, could not lose this person he had come to love.

So with a smile, he lifted his hand and took a hold of the Rod.

A golden-white glow incased the item and flowed up his arm to engulf his entire body. Seto closed his eyes as a strange warmth flooded him down to his soul. Never had he felt anything like it. It was almost as if a part of him had been found at last. The energy coursing throughout his body was strangely familiar and in that instant he knew what to do with it.

Sapphire pools opened up and were warmed at the sight of his rival. Yes he knew what to do now, Seth had made sure of it. "It's time."

Yami had watched the scene with a weird sense of awe and déjà vu. It was as if he could almost see the ancient ceremonies his priests had to perform in order to wield the Sennen Items. With a rare smile on his lips he nodded his head as Seto told him he was ready.

Not knowing exactly what would happen, Yami chose to sit on the couch for this event. If for some reason he was to pass out his aibou's body would be safe from injury. Casting his crimson colored eyes around the room his sight fell on the younger Kaiba who was currently sitting on the floor near the coffee table. Yami noted that there was a feeling of wonderment in the brother's eyes as he watched him and his brother from his position. He could also feel this same feeling from his hikari as he watched from the comfort of his soul room.

A shadow fell across the former pharaoh and he looked up to see Seto standing before him, holding the vile out for him to take. Slowly, he lifted his hand up and took the glass object, pulling the small, wooden cork out. Holding up to his nose, he noticed the liquid smelled of vaguely familiar herbs and spices. Shrugging his shoulders he lifted the bottle up to his lips and drank the clear liquid.

Seto watched the spirit take in the potion before his eyes clouded and his head drooped till his chin rested on his chest. He could _feel_ the liquid working in the other's body. Without thinking, he lifted the Rod and aimed it at the spirit and from his lips tumbled a spell.

"Hail Osiris, Great Father of Horus, hear this lowly ones plea. Bring forth the Ka of one of your greatest sons and grant him the life in which he was denied. Let him pass by judgment and live among his men once again."

No sooner than the words were finished, shadows sprang forth and engulfed the small body, completely concealing it from the two viewers.

Seto lowered the Rod and stared nervously at the sphere of shadows. There was no denying it, this was magic. Frankly, he didn't want to deny it anymore. The moment he had felt that incredible energy the oddity of the situation had vanished. Magic was just as real as his company and from now on would probably influence his life in just the same way. But being unable to see or hear what was happening concerned him. A quick glance at Mokuba and he could tell he was feeling much the same way.

Quietly, the younger Kaiba got up from his place on the floor and walked over to his brother. "Do you think it's working?"

"I don't know. I _feel_ something, something like power coming from the shadows but I don't know anymore than that."

Both Kaiba's watched as the shadows slowly started to thin. Looking on wide-eyed, they began to see two forms on the slowly emerging furniture. Before long the shadows were gone and they learned that the spell and potion had worked. For laying beside each other was two bodies, one was paled skinned and clothed in a Domino High uniform and the other had skin the color of copper dressed in nothing but a white linen kilt.

Rushing forward, Seto kneeled down beside the darker body and brushed golden bangs away from the peaceful looking face. He wanted nothing more than to see those resting eyes open up and reveal those beautiful but deadly colored orbs.

Beside them Mokuba was looking over the smaller form of Yugi just as the said person began to stir. Yugi's eyes opened and he recognized the person above him.

"Mokuba. Is he...?"

"Are you alright Yugi?", Mokuba asked, concerned.

"Yeah...just dizzy...Yami?"

Both of them turned around to look at Yami's body in Seto's arms. Yugi gasped.

"It's him! He's really...Seto, is he alright?"

But Seto didn't hear him. In fact, all his senses were focused only onto the boy in his arms. He was the pharaoh, without any doubt. There was this incredible grace about him, in his limbs, even as he was lying there unconscious, there was this aura of deadly power even as he was weak and defenseless, and all that Seto had felt for the person he had got to know in ancient Egypt returned with a rush.

And then, when Seto was holding his breath in anticipation, staring down onto the other's face, the long eyelashes opened and behind them there glowed eyes like rubies in the sunlight, more beautiful than anything Seto had ever seen and he felt as a wave of unknown emotion swept over him, leaving him completely bared, vulnerable but wrapped in protective warmth.

The pharaoh's lips fell slightly open to draw in a soft breath and his eyes opened wide, staring past Seto now at the white wall as if slowly regaining consciousness. A soft whisper escaped his lips,

"Tn...?"

"Yami, are you feeling alright?", Yugi cried, falling to his knees in front of him.

"Sy?", came the confused reply, as the pharaoh stared at Yugi as if trying to figure out what was going on. Then his eyes finally fell upon Seto, who still held him in his arms.

"Seth! Mrw-t!", he murmured as a slow smile spread on his face and suddenly his arms found their way around Seto's back while he pressed his face into the other's chest.

"Yami?", Yugi asked, confused and shocked at his dark's reaction to Kaiba.

"Holy Ra", Seto whispered as realization dawned, "I think he's talking in Egyptian."

Both Mokuba and Yugi gaped at him, while Yami still mumbled incomprehensible syllables into Seto's pullover.

"What are we going to do?", Mokuba asked, looking at his brother pleadingly.

Seto hid his panic and assured Mokuba, "Don't worry, we will find some way to understand him." Desperately he looked around himself as if the solution to this problem would suddenly appear out of thin air. Which it didn't, of course, since it was lying on the floor next to him. 'The Sennen Rod! Seth would know what to do', Seto thought as he took the rod, holding it unsure in his hand.

"_...was so dark. All was darkness and I thought I'd be lost forever...And then there was a light and more I can't remember...except that face. The face of that boy who looks like I used to look like once. Seth? Why don't you say anything?" _

Seto gasped. "I can understand him!", he cried.

"_Seth? Why are you talking so strangely?"_ The pharaoh's hands tightened around his back.

Seto concentrated on Yami alone and prayed it would work.

"_Atemu? Can you understand me now?"_

The other smiled at him, and it was the most beautiful smile Seto had ever seen in his life.

"I think it's working", Yugi whispered as he watched in awe how Seto and Yami exchanged seemingly meaningless syllables.

"_How are you feeling, Atemu?"_

"_I'm fine Seth, it's alright. How long have I been in the darkness...?"_

Seto chuckled. _"For three thousand years approximately, and that's why I'm not Seth. I'm..."_

"_Ah I remember!"_ Atemu's face lit up. _"Seto, right? So now I am in your future? I'm so glad to be with you, my past seems like an endless nightmare. I can remember Egypt very well, but I don't know what happened afterwards, all I can think of is darkness"_

"_So you remember nothing about what happened in those last months, years?"_

"_Years? Well, I guess I was inside of the puzzle, wasn't I?"_

"_Uhm, I think we should talk about this later, right now there are two people you should get to know. They speak Japanese, which is the language we have here. You are in Japan now. But don't worry, I will translate what they say as soon as I have explained all of this to them." _

Seto took a minute of silence for himself, three faces looking at him expectantly. He felt overwhelmed to say the least. Atemu didn't remember anything! For a second he felt hurt. So he had forgotten all their duels, all they had been through together! How would Yugi react? After all he had shared his body with Atemu's spirit for so long. He certainly had shared secrets with his dark soul mate! It must be like losing a friend for him!

What had he done? Seth certainly hadn't foreseen this disaster and he hadn't either. In an odd way he knew that tonight, in that dream that wasn't, magic had invaded his life and chosen to stay with him, causing trouble and joy in the form of a beautiful ex-pharaoh who knew nothing about the world he had been thrust into, nothing about the people he would be living with, who knew him alone not to be a complete stranger – and perhaps Yugi, his soul mate.

He looked at Yugi, at those joyful violet eyes and as much as he had always denied that he liked that boy, thought of him as a good friend, now he realized he would have to change that as well.

"Yugi...this is going to be difficult for you...Uhm, am I speaking Japanese?"

Yugi nodded, "Yeah, you are...Why, what happened?"

"Ok. Uhmmm, you see, your Yami, rather Atemu now, doesn't remember anything from the point his soul went to the puzzle in ancient Egypt up to now..."

Yugi's mouth fell open.

Atemu furrowed his eyebrows. He couldn't make heads or tails of what the others were saying. Pulling his head away from Seto's chest and looked around the room. Crimson eyes widened at the various objects scattered around. He remembered then that Seto had told him he was in Japan so this must be the way they lived. All thoughts of the others in the room left him as he unwrapped his arms from around the CEO and stood up.

"You mean he doesn't remember me at all? Everything we went through? Duelist Kingdom, Battle City, nothing?" Yugi asked as he watched his dark walk across the room. The hikari studied his yami's movements. It was easy to see that he was the Pharaoh Isis claimed him to be. Every step radiated power and control. Even though Yami – no Atemu, he corrected himself, was in a new and strange situation he didn't show fear or concern like most people would have.

Seto sighed as he followed Yugi's eyes to look upon Atemu, who was standing at the window with his arms crossed over his bare tanned chest. "No, I…" he turned back to Yugi and saw the look of sorrow in his normal cheerful face, "I don't think Seth realized this would happen. The High Priest had no clue as to what the future would be like so I don't think he could have prevented this."

"Ok, so he doesn't remember us but he does know you big brother. So what are we going to do about this?"

Seto cast his gaze back at the ex-spirit and found that he had turned away from the window and was looked back at Yugi with his head titled to the side in a thoughtful manner. Soon the Pharaoh walked back towards Yugi and knelt down in front of him. Blood red orbs gazed into confused violet ones.

"Yu-gi, tw nHm wi." his deep voice said in a whisper.

Yugi looked past Atemu to Seto wondering what his other was saying. He could hear more words coming from his yami's mouth but was clueless as to what was being said.

Seto concentrated on the Rod and Atemu again as the words began to flow through his mind and he translated them back to Yugi.

"…out of my imprisonment, my brother. I do not fully understand what is between us but I feel as if we are bonded."

Hearing those words that Seto echoed from his other, Yugi smiled and hugged the former spirit.

Atemu stiffened slightly before he relaxed his body and hugged the little one back. Never before had anyone dared touch the Pharaoh but this felt normal and right to him. For some strange reason he felt totally at ease around his look-a-like and the small black haired boy. He didn't understand why but it was welcomed nevertheless. Pulling out of the younger one's arms, he turned and smiled at Seto before he stood up and walked over to him.

Seto watched as Atemu walked over to him and stood before him with a smile on his face. His eyes eagerly drank in the sight of him. A slim tanned hand reached up and cupped the side of his face. "Seto."

Yugi couldn't help but notice the way his dark looked at the older Kaiba. As much as he loved Yami and wanted him to stay he knew his dark would not be happy. "Kaiba, I think you should let Ya – Atemu stay with you."

Both Atemu and Seto looked at the smaller duelist.

"Are you sure, Yugi?"

"Yeah," he said as he smiled, "I have school and a shop to look after. I won't be able to spend the time needed to teach him." 'And I think he would rather be with you' he added mentally.

Mokuba gave a cheer when Seto nodded his head. Things were going to be very interesting in the Kaiba household for a while.

"Can I bring the gang to see him tomorrow after school lets out?"

"I guess, just let them know he's not going to know who they are before you show up." Seto then turned to Atemu and held out his hand for him to take.

"_Lets go home."_

Translations:

Tn – Where

Sy – who, what

Mrw-t love

Tw nHm wi – you rescued me


	3. Chapter 3

Desidera: Yeah, we know, the getting-clothes-for-the-poor-pharaoh-plot has been done thousands of times, but...  
Atemu: But you still can't let me freeze to death, right?  
Seto, Desidera: - nod enthusiastically-  
Atemu: Thought so...  
Desidera: And thanks for the reviews!!!

Dragon: **To Demon: **Yes, Atemu is speaking ancient Egyptian. Do you know how hard it is to find the right words to use? –chuckles- I'll add the links in our bio if you and any others would like to take a look.

* * *

Seto found watching Atemu look at everything with a child-like wonder, amusing. He had never had a chance to see this side of his rival before. 

When they stepped outside the Game Shop, Atemu immediately shivered_. "Ah...what's this? Why is it so cold?"_

"_That's normal for this season in Japan. You will have to get used to_ it..."

The limo ride over proved to be rather interesting when the Pharaoh learned that several buttons caused things to happen. Windows would slide up and down, cold air or heat would blast through vents at different times, and the funniest part was when he hit the power on the radio. The proud Pharaoh yelped and ducked under Seto's arm seeking protection.

Mokuba took it all in stride, eager to show the former spirit everything their time had to offer. Even though they couldn't understand each other, Atemu quickly picked up on the things he was being taught.

Seto had introduced his brother to Atemu shortly before they had left the Game Shop. The younger Kaiba was fascinated with the strange person that would be living with them. He worried a bit about that too, but he figured Seto knew what he did and why. Still, he would try to help as much as possible.

When they stepped through the doors of the Kaiba house, Mokuba ran on ahead and Seto noticed that Atemu had stopped and was standing rather stiffly just inside the doorway. Raising an eyebrow, he walked back over to him. "Atemu?"

The Pharaoh looked back at him with widened crimson eyes, "Seto."

The CEO chuckled and held out his hand, "This is going to be difficult isn't it?"

"Sy?" he asked as he took Seto's hand and followed him further into the house.

Gripping the Rod, he began to speak again, "_We will have to learn to get past the language problem, and I can't always use the Sennen Rod."_

"_I agree. I wish I could understand your words better, then I wouldn't be such a problem."_

Seto stopped and looked sternly back at Atemu, "_You are not a problem, merely the language is. But we will get by. Now why don't we go find you some more…decent clothes?"_

Atemu raised an eyebrow and let a smirk grace his handsome face. "_You don't like what I'm wearing now? You never complained before."_

Unfortunately for Seto a slight blush crept upon him as he looked over the Egyptian's body. _"Yes, I enjoy looking at you, but this day and age one can not go around half dressed."_

Atemu snorted as Seto turned away from him. Still holding his hand he followed him throughout the house till he reached what he figured was Seto's private chambers. Intrigued, he dropped the other's hand and proceeded to look around the barely furnished room. Walking over to the bed, he ran his fingers over the silk covering and he gave a quiet 'hmm' to himself at the quality of the cloth.

Hearing Seto coming closer behind him, he turned and looked. The blue-eyed teen was holding out some strange looking cloth. He raised an eyebrow in question.

"Put these on." Seto said as he held out a pair of gray sweatpants and a white cotton t-shirt. It was all he had that would remotely fit the smaller boy.

Atemu reached out and took the articles offered to him, studied them and then studied Seto's clothing. He figured that what the other one was wearing would be similar to what was given to him. So without a second thought, he undid the band that held his kilt in place, letting it drop to the floor without a concern in the world.

Blue eyes went wide when he saw Atemu undoing the only piece of cloth that covered his body. He could feel the heat rising on his face and quickly turned away from the beautiful body that was displayed in front of him. Closing his eyes, the image of a small well-built tanned body was permanently burned into the backs of his eyelids.

A deep chuckle brought him back to his senses. Carefully opening one eye, he turned back to Atemu and sighed in relief when he saw that the former spirit was able to figure out how to put the clothes on. "You find this funny don't you?"

Seto kneeled down and began to roll up the bottom of the sweatpants so he wouldn't trip when he walked. Standing back up, he looked Atemu over, "I'm going to have to take you shopping soon."

Atemu furrowed his eyebrows and picked out the one word that seemed like it was the most important. "Shop-ping?" he asked in a heavy Egyptian accent.

Nodding his head he replied with a smile. "That's right, shopping." He looked at his watch, "We could go now, it's still early."

Tanned arms crossed over his chest as he glared at the taller boy. He clearly was not happy about not being able to understand anything that was going on. Atemu had never been put in this type of situation before. Being Pharaoh meant that he knew all that went on around him. Between his advisors, priests, tutors, guards, and other officials he knew what the entire world had to offer, but now he felt as helpless as a newborn child. That was something that didn't sit well with him.

Still he would not ask for help or special treatment. He would figure out everything this new world had and he would master it just as he had mastered everything else that had been thrown his way. Three thousand years locked in darkness had caused him to look at things differently. Alone in the puzzle he had no one to rely on except himself and he wasn't about to change just cause he was now alive and whole again in a new time and place.

Although he was grateful that Seto was here with him. His priest's future self was someone he could stay connected with, someone that understood where and when he was from. Sighing, he relaxed his posture and closed his eyes.

Seto watched as the smaller teen stared at him proudly before his body began to relax. He could only imagine what was running through the other's head at that moment. "Atemu?"

Blood colored eyes opened and upon him with a brief emotion of desolation before he masked it with his famous game face. "Seto."

The CEO held out his hand and beckoned the smaller teen to follow him. "Come on."

The car was waiting, the driver opening the door for them. Atemu looked at him with a very strange expression on his face, then he turned to his priest's incarnation.

"Seto?"

The addressed quickly touched the Sennen Rod. _"What is it, Atemu?"_

"_You told me you were a man of influence in the future...do you have many servants? The place you live in seems big as a temple...but I couldn't see any shrines there, and you don't have annoying politicians running around you all the time...So what do you do?"_

"_Uhhmm, I don't know how to explain that to you, Atemu..."_

'Oh my God,' Seto thought helplessly as he remembered that Atemu didn't even know what a factory was and that the concept must seem completely strange to him. He'd get it the wrong way, thinking his employees to be slaves or something...well, workers...he had an idea.

They sat down in the comfortable seats and Seto tried to explain,

"_Well, you had people working on pyramids in Egypt, right? I have a lot of those workers, only, they don't build pyramids, and they build the items we need for the Duel Monsters Game. You know, the one you played at the cost of a soul in ancient Egypt"_

"_Ah"_, Atemu's eyes were sparkling in wonder and for a second Seto could almost feel the grass of an Egyptian garden beneath him, the hot sun above him and the barely clad pharaoh next to him, demanding answers about his future.

"_I am telling those men what to do and I pay them money for their work. I earn the _money_ by selling the items they make."_

"Money_?"_

"_Uhmm, gold? Does that work for you?"_

"_Yes, gold, I see. But isn't that very circuitous? Why not just make them yourself?"_

Seto laughed, _"Because I earn more _money_ that way – and it's faster when many people work on it"_

Atemu frowned. _"Why is _money_ so important to you?"_

That comment made Seto become serious again. Why indeed? _"Because all this world is about is money. Like you had a lot of gold and treasures and that's what made you wealthy."_

But Atemu only smirked. _"My wealth never was of much use for me, was it?"_

"_You are right about that..."_, Seto had to admit.

There was silence for some minutes. Atemu got distracted again by the cars rushing around outside...

"_I can't believe how fast your carriages are...and there are so many of them!", he mumbled._

"_They are called_ 'cars'", Seto explained patiently and watched as Atemu repeated the Japanese word. _"It would be too difficult to explain to you how they work. But it isn't particularly important right now_"

They finally reached the mall, where the driver let them get out. Atemu watched people rushing past him. Well, at least they hadn't changed, they seemed to be of a different race here, looked different from Egyptians, but they had had strangers in Egypt as well. And their movements, their behavior was familiar. It gave him a small sense of comfort.

He shivered. By Ra, it was cold here....

"Ready?", Seto asked in Japanese.

"Sy?", Atemu replied.

Seto smiled and took his hand in his, the other touching the rod. _"No, _haiHai_ is Japanese and means 'yes'. And I asked you if you were ready to go."_

"_In that case..._hai_"._

Seto laughed and brought Atemu's hand to his lips for a quick kiss onto his slender fingers. Atemu blushed but smiled back at him.

Then Seto lead his pharaoh into the mall. He clasped the other's hand tightly to prevent him from getting lost. Atemu definitely looked intimidated, but his eyes were determined. Seto instantly loved that confident look, loved those shoulders strengthening, loved the slender body drawing itself up into a regal posture.

He smirked as he noticed the people already making room for him and the exotic looking, confident teen. Ah, how much he wished the both of them could be a couple! It was the first time he noticed he was free to do this, free to be the lover of the pharaoh, now being himself and Seth as well, now being the only one...Yet, even as his heart jumped at the thought he realized that this must be strange to Atemu....He wasn't Seth after all. They were similar in many ways but different in others. And now he wondered if Atemu would be able to love him in the same way he had loved Seth...

Well, first he had to get clothes for his beloved. They found the men's section and after glaring the shop assistants away, Seto concentrated on choosing some clothes. Frankly, he had no idea what the pharaoh would like to wear.

"_Uhmm, Atemu? Do you like any of these?"_, he asked, turning to the other. _"You can choose anything you like." _

"_Anything I like..."_, Atemu looked around in wonder. _"Where are the kilts?"_

Seto flushed. "_I'm afraid you won't be able to wear kilts in public, Atemu. Here in the modern world only women wear those"_

"Sy?!?!?" Several people around them turned at Atemu's shout and Seto sighed trying to calm him self down.

"_Look, you can wear them at home, when we are alone, I really don't mind them, but when you go out it would be far better if you chose to wear trousers, something like this."_

He held up a black pair.

Atemu bit his lip. _"Well...won't I look strange in these?"_

"_I assure you, you won't"_

In the end the pharaoh went around, feeling the materials and judging by their feel and the color.

"_Well, I like this....and this, it's soft....and...ooooh, that's the color of the Nile! I want it! .....And this one....hmm, it's warm. I will need it if it always stays so cold...."_

'Huh?', Seto thought as Atemu got faster and faster, piling clothes around him and onto Seto.

"_I think I will take these also....and...what's that? Oh, it's glittering! It's gold embroidery! ...And..."_

"_Hey, Atemu, stop!"_

"_Uh?"_, the pharaoh turned around, looking like a child surprised while playing in the sand. 'Adorable...', Seto thought, forgetting where he was for a second.

"_You wanted to say something, Seto?"_

The other cleared his throat. _"Well...you can't try all of these at once."_

"_Try?"_, Atemu looked very confused.

"_Well, we have to see if they fit you"_

"_Why shouldn't they?"_, Atemu wondered.

Seto stared at him. "_Now, those are clothes everyone wears, that means there are different sizes. We don't have a personal tailor for you, Atemu."_

"_Oh"_ The pharaoh looked disappointed..."_So I have to try them on to see which size is the best?"_

"_Exactly."_

"_Alright",_ Atemu shrugged and to Seto's horror simply started to pull his shirt off.

"Atemu!" Seto quickly grabbed the teen by his now bare shoulder to stop him.

The Pharaoh stared at him wide eyed, wondering what he was doing wrong. Seto sure seemed to be correcting him on a lot of things. "Seto?"

But Seto didn't say anything, instead he turned him around and ushered him back towards a row of dressing rooms. He opened one of them up and gently pushed him into it. Seto stood in the doorway, _"Stay here."_ He said before he closed the door and left to go pick up some of the clothes for him to try on.

Atemu looked around the small room, and gasp when he saw himself in the floor length mirror. He reached out a hand and ran his fingers over the reflection. He had never seen such a perfect image of himself before.

Soon the door opened again and Seto was shoving some black material his way. "Here."

Atemu took the clothes and pointed to the Rod. "Seto?"

"_Yes?"_

"_Forgive me for not understanding your customs and angering your gods. I'm not quite sure what I did, but you obviously seem displeased."_

Seto blinked before he chuckled, "_You have not displeased me as you put it or angered our god. It's just we are more modest in this era. We change clothes behind closed doors."_

Atemu raised an eyebrow, "_Oh? So everyone here is ashamed of themselves? Including you? I do not recall you not feeling that way back in Egypt. And from what I'm seen you shouldn't be ashamed. Your body is beautiful."_

Seto tried to wield the blush forming on his cheeks away. Atemu sure was one to speak his mind and he was thankful no one else could understand what they were saying to each other. "_Just put those on."_

The former spirit looked down at the clothing for the first time and chuckled, "dHr"

"dHr?" Seto rolled the foreign word off his tongue. "_What does that mean?"_

"_Leather. Even though this feels different and looks different, it is leather is it not?" _

"_Yes. You and Yugi use to wear this all the time. So I figured you might want to wear it again."_

"_Ah I see, well thank you. I guess you should leave now so I can try this on, since modesty forbids me from doing so in your presence?"_

Seto smiled and shook his head in amusement before he shut the door to let the Pharaoh change. Standing outside the door, he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. He caught several curious looks coming his way and turned his icy glare on them causing them to quickly look away.

Soon the door opened, he turned to look and soon found himself staring openly at the boy before him. Amazingly, Atemu had figured out how to put the clothes on correctly but that wasn't what he was gaping at, no it was how he looked in the clothes that got his attention.

The black leather pants fit every curve of his body perfectly, and the silver embroidered dragon that wound it's way up his left leg all but enticed whoever was looking to notice his well-defined muscles, that flowed into his shapely hips. A black silk shirt lay softly against his equally defined chest.

Atemu raised an eyebrow and smirked at his priest's look-a-like's reaction. It pleased him to see that Seto was enjoying the view. "K irt sAi"

Seto blinked, "Huh?"

The shorter teen waved his hand dismissing what he said and chuckled.

"_I think those will work. Just leave them on and we'll go pick out a few other things."_

_

* * *

_

Seto couldn't help but stare at the sight of the sleeping Pharaoh that was currently lying in his lap. The events of the day had finally caught up with the former spirit and no sooner than they had returned to the limo, Atemu imminently curled up against him.

The CEO brushed away stray blonde bangs that had fallen over the other's face. He marveled at how soft his sun kissed skin was under his fingertips. The Pharaoh was really a sight to behold even in his sleep. Normally proud features were soft and childlike, making him seem like nothing fazed him. He idly wondered if he too was able to pull off the same expression in his sleep.

They were much alike, even if their lives were in too different worlds. Both of them had been thrown into an adult's world at a young age, quickly mastering the world around them. Neither one of them liked to show weakness in front of others, their pride was something that was just as much a part of them as breathing, and yet it seemed that was what helped attract them to each other.

Seto ran his fingers lightly over Atemu's eyes, nose, soft lips, and let them trace over his jaw line lingering on his graceful neck. The boy was beautiful there was no doubt about it.

All too soon, the ride home was over. Once the door was open, Seto picked up the smaller teen and carried him into the house. The sleeping boy, instinctively cuddled closer to the warmth of Seto's body, and he couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Hi Seto! How did it go?" Mokuba asked when he saw his brother enter the living room.

"Quiet, Mokuba."

The younger Kaiba blinked, then grinned when he saw the Pharaoh in his brother's arms. "Too much huh?"

Seto nodded his head before he turned and began to walk up the stairs to find a guest bedroom for Atemu to use while he stayed there. Luckily there was one next to his and he pushed the door open with his foot, being careful not to wake the other up.

Gently he placed the boy on the bed. Sighing, he realized he was going to have to undress him. Keeping his eyes on the face of the one he had come to love, he made quick work of the new boots and pants, leaving the shirt on for him to sleep in.

Pulling the midnight blue sheet up to Atemu's chin, he placed a gentle kiss on his forehead before he walked out the door.

* * *

Translations: 

Sy – What

K irt sAi – your eye(s) linger

dHr - leather


	4. Chapter 4

Seto: -grumbles- So what do you two have planned for me today?  
Dragon: -smirks- nothing much  
Desidera: You'll see soon enough...what did you expect? Authoresses showing mercy? Hahaha... You want the pharaoh? Then just deal with whatever we come up with.  
Seto: Damn. He'd better kiss me for the sacrifices I'm making for him...

The early morning sun spread it's rays upon the face of the sleeping Pharaoh, gently caressing him awake. Blinking, the Egyptian sat up and stretched his arms taking in the room around him. He quickly registered that he was not in Egypt, the puzzle or in Seto's room. So where was he?

Throwing back the covers, he placed his legs over the side of the bed only to feel a draft. Looking down, he realized his leg coverings were gone, leaving him only in the black top he wore yesterday. Crimson colored eyes scanned the room only to rest on an open door way that seemed to be filled with more of this times strange clothing.

Placing his legs on the floor, he stood up and began to walk to the door he figured led out of the room, only to stop and turn back to the room of clothing when he remembered what Seto said about modesty.

Wrinkling his nose at the thought of having to constantly walk around covered up, he scanned everything in the 'clothing room'. Running his hand over the many different types of fabric, he stopped when he felt the same soft clothing that Seto had put him in when they went shopping yesterday.

Quietly, he slipped them on and snorted at his appearance. How could these people stand to be covered from head to toe? Even though the material was soft against his skin, he felt confined, almost trapped. Disgusted with the feeling, he unbuttoned the shirt and threw it on the bed. There. He felt better and he was meeting Seto half way with the modesty thing. It was a win – win situation for him.

Opening the door, he peeked his head out and looked both directions down the hall, furrowing his eyebrows as he tried to figure out which direction to take. His instincts told him to go right and since he always trusted is gut feelings he began walking in that direction.

Before long, he began to hear strange noises from up ahead. His heart started pounding in his chest as his thoughts ran wild. Was something attacking Seto's palace? Were Seto and Mokuba in danger?

Calling on all his training as Pharaoh, he snuck further down the hallway, trying his best to block out the increasing noise so he could figure out what was going on and who might be in danger.

The unmistakable sound of explosions rang through his ears as he came closer to the end of the hall. Willing his emotions and nerves to stay calm, he peeked his head around the corner. Crimson eyes went wide when he saw Seto's brother sitting down on something big and white, staring at a creature that Atemu had never seen before.

The thing was huge, with a roar that sounded throughout the room, making his ears ring. The creature seemed to be in a huge box but from the looks of how it was getting bigger, Atemu thought it was coming closer to the boy.

Fearing for the child's life, Atemu rushed out of the hallway and stopped just in front of Mokuba with his back turned to him.

"Yami? What are you…"

Atemu looked over his shoulder. "sxs! Sm!" he said in a deep commanding voice.

"Huh?" was all Mokuba could get out, confused that the former spirit's words and actions.

Seeing the child wasn't going to move, he quickly grabbed the boy by his shirt "HA wi!" he said as he placed Mokuba's smaller body behind his, backing them up towards the far corner, making sure the boy was covered completely by his body.

"Yami?!"

Atemu never took his eyes off the strange beast as its roar grew in his ears. He had to protect the little one and destroy the beast before it could find Seto. Raising his hand out in front of him, he called upon his shadow magic. Palm out he yelled, "Aq!!" and released his magic.

* * *

Seto yelped as he bed shook, effectively throwing him off it, landing harshly on the floor. Groaning, he sat up and rubbed his head when he heard another explosion and felt his room, no the whole house shake again.

Heart pounding, he rushed out of his room and headed towards his living room. When he reached it, he stood dumbfounded at the sight before him.

The wall that use to hold his entire entertainment system was completely destroyed, and in its place was a hole big enough to drive a car through, straight into the room behind it. Smoke, dust, and sheetrock fragments littered the air and floor.

Mouth agape, he barely heard strange words filtering towards his ears. Turning wide blue eyes towards the sound he spied a very dangerous looking Pharaoh, clutching something behind his back.

"Atemu?! What the hell happened here?!"

Deadly blood colored orbs turned to look at him. Seto had to refrain from shivering at the sight of them.

"xww!"

Seto walked over to the Pharaoh, narrowing his eyes. It was clear that the other had done this but what the hell made him think he needed to blow up the house?! "Atemu!"

"Seto?"

The older Kaiba stopped and blinked at the new voice, looking down he finally spotted a mop of black hair behind Atemu. "Mokuba! Are you alright?"

Seeing the danger had passed, Atemu stepped away from the boy, allowing his brother to see him. "wi nd sw."

Seto ignored the Egyptian and concentrated on his bother.

"Yeah, I'm fine Seto."

"Then mind telling me what the hell happened here! Why did he put a hole in my house!"

"I'm not sure," he said as he looked up at Atemu who was glaring the wreckage to death. "I was watching Black Hawk Down (do not own!!!!) and it was in the middle of one of those helicopter fights and next thing I know, he's standing in front of me, yelling something at me. When I didn't understand, he grabbed me and forced me in this corner. Next thing I know, there's an explosion!"

"Ok," Seto said, taking a deep breath to calm him self down, "Go out now while I talk to him"

When Mokuba hastily left, Seto turned to Atemu, speechless for a second. Then he brought the hand to the Sennen Rod and whispered,

"_What the hell happened?"_

"_That thing,"_ the pharaoh replied harshly, _"It was roaring loudly, it was in the little box. There were explosions; your brother was in danger. I told him to get behind myself, but the thing was approaching fast, so I used my powers and..."_

"_Atemu,"_ Seto said slowly, trying to breathe deep and figure out what to say next.

"_I appreciate that you care for my brother, but what you banished to the Shadow Realm was neither dangerous nor real."_

Atemu's mouth opened, but no sound left it.

"_See...we have those machines that ...that....enable us to ....well, they view a scene and save the pictures they view and afterwards, with the help of another machine we can re-watch those scenes, but they aren't real anymore....It's ...like a painting, only moving...and it kinda has the same purpose. Mokuba was watching what we call a movie – some fiction scene that has been captured by one of the machines and can be re-watched now on a ...monitor, that's the little box you destroyed." _

"_So...it wasn't.... there wasn't any danger....."_, Atemu murmured, looking away.

"_No, there wasn't...."_

When he saw how miserable the pharaoh looked, Seto immediately felt sorry. Putting a comforting hand onto the boy's bared shoulders, he said,

"_Look, it's not that much of a problem. I can easily buy a new set of equipment for this room, I have so much money people won't even notice. In two or three days this will look like nothing has ever happened here. You couldn't know about movies after all. Let's go to my brother and explain it to him, alright?"_

Atemu nodded, and Seto smiled.

* * *

"Hey, Yamiiiii!!!"

The voice was loud and annoying, cheerful and oblivious to the morning hour, to sum it up, it gave Seto Kaiba headaches. Whereas his brother jumped up from his seat, where he and Atemu had celebrated reconciliation over buttered toast – With the help of Seto translating, Mokuba had explained the pharaoh how a toaster worked, something that was much easier for him to understand than a movie – and coffee.

"Kaiba, you old jerk, where are you hiding with your laptop? Oi, Mokuba! Great to see you, buddy!"

There was no doubt. Joey Wheeler had arrived.

"_Who is that?",_ Atemu wanted to know, looking at Seto suspiciously. Whoever it was, he wasn't sure he wanted to get to know him.

"_It's Yugi's friend. Joey Wheeler."_

Suddenly Seto saw a multitude of opinions about Joey that he could place into Atemu's head right now. Oh, the temptation!

But the thought of Yugi's disappointed look stopped him. Damn, social bonds could really get in the way once one wanted to have some fun.

"_You don't like him?",_ Atemu questioned, having caught his grimace at the name.

"_Not really,"_ Seto muttered, _"He annoys me. But Yugi likes him and he is kind of a faithful friend to him." _

Suddenly his face lit up.

"_Atemu, do you remember Jahi, Seth's servant?"_

"_But of course"_

"_Well, Joey looks like Jahi, and in some ways maybe acts like him as well. I never thought about that. Perhaps he is some kind of incarnation as well?"_

"_For all we know, he could...."_

But at that moment the doors burst open and Yugi-tachi poured into the room, making Atemu jump up and back away towards Seto. The CEO just shook his head.

".....have to remember, his name is Atemu", Yugi just finished what had obviously been instructions to his friends.

"There he is", Mokuba called proudly, then went over to Atemu and smiled at him reassuringly.

They were all staring at him. Atemu felt uncomfortable, to say the least, when he was faced with the group of friends he was supposed to know but couldn't remember.

But then Yugi stepped forth and the smile on the boy's face warmed Atemu up on the inside.

"Good morning, Atemu", Yugi said.

"Go-od mor-ning Yugi", Atemu answered, very carefully, then looked over to Seto to see if he had done the right thing. Seto nodded appraisingly and Atemu felt slightly better. Then the blue eyes boy got up and walked over to them, touching the Rod.

"_Alright, Atemu, I will introduce Yugi's friends to you now"_

"Step forward one after the other", he then told Yugi-tachi, "and I will introduce you"

"Me first of course!", Joey shouted, "I was his best friend back when he was in the puzzle" Then he glared at Seto. "I warn you Kaiba, you stuck-up git, if you tell him any shit about me I will..."

"What? Sue me?", Seto snarled back, "Don't worry, you always follow Yugi, you stop barking when he tells you to and no one could complain about you not eating well, so there's nothing bad to tell about the little mutt, right?"

"ARGGHHH!!"

It took both Tristan and Duke to hold Joey back. Everyone glared at Seto and he felt treated unfairly. What was their problem? The mutt had started the insults after all!

Atemu had no idea what was going on but it was obvious the blonde boy needed some cooling down, so he slowly went over to him, staring at him for a moment, then nodded his head in a polite greeting.

"Go-od mor-ning, Joey", he repeated the newly learned word.

Joey smiled at him, "Hey buddy" He looked him up and down, suddenly he laughed,

"Did you already jump him, Kaiba, or why isn't he wearing a shirt?"

Atemu looked questionably towards Seto only to see him glaring back at the blonde. His crimson eyes traveled down the length of his body, noticing his tense form and fisted hands.

"Listen here mutt, if you try and say something stupid like that again I will…"

"Will what Kaiba? Send your flunkies after me?" Joey growled out while trying to shake Tristen and Duke off.

"Joey, please stop." Yugi's soft voice was barely heard.

"Come on Yug, you can't tell me you're ok with this guy and Yami being together like this!"

"Wheeler! If you don't shut your damn mouth…"

"wnn sgr!"

Everyone stopped and looked at Atemu with wide eyes. Even though no one knew what he was saying, they all got the message.

Atemu looked at each and every one of them before he turned and walked up to Seto and pointed to the Rod. "_Why are you so upset?"_

Seto's icy gaze softened some, "_Joey said some things that he shouldn't have."_

"_Oh? What about?"_

Yugi quietly walked up to Joey and tapped him on the shoulder. Violet locked with honey as he whispered, "Watch and you'll see why I'm ok with it, with them."

Joey quirked an eyebrow at the smaller duelist but turned to watch.

"_I don't think you need to worry about it, Atemu."_

The Egyptian smiled and placed his palm on the CEO's chest. "_Seto, I am pretty sure it had to do with me, right? So tell me."_

Seto sighed and took Atemu's hand into his own, "_He assumed since you don't have a shirt on that me and you…well… that I…had my way with you."_

Crimson eyes looked down, hiding the smirk on his face. Raising an eyebrow, looked back up and stood on his tiptoes to place a chaste kiss on Seto's lips. "_Protecting my honor? That's sweet Seto. Thank you. Although,"_ he took Seto's hand and placed the slender digits up to his own lips, "_I don't mind if they want to think that."_

Seto failed miserably at hiding the blush that crept across his face as he stared in shock as the former spirit took one of his fingers and pulled it into his mouth, lightly sucking on it.

Ending his torture, Atemu released his hand and walked out of the room, leaving everyone else behind.

"Well I'll be damned." Joey breathed out while he stared into the doorway that Atemu walked out from.

"Told you." Yugi couldn't help but smile at the scene. Even though he felt like he was losing his dark, he knew that Seto and Atemu would be good for each other. They had so much in common, and Yugi knew that it would take a strong person to be able to tame the other.

Seto cleared his throat after he got slight control over his raging hormones and followed the retreating teen. He clearly needed to get away from the people that had just witnessed the obvious flirting that Yugi-tachi had seen.

Giggling, Mokuba bounded after his brother, "Come on guys! We'll finish introductions in the living room."

After exchanging glances, the group followed Mokuba into the living room, only to stop in the doorway with their mouths hanging open. All eyes were wide as they took in the destruction of the room. Never before had they seen anything like it, not to mention that they could clearly see the next room through the huge hole in the wall.

"Kaiba? What happened?" Yugi asked as he walked towards his dark that was currently sitting on the couch next to Seto.

"Atemu thought the TV was going to hurt Mokuba. I don't know if he banished it or blew it up."

"He blew it up!?" Joey exclaimed as he walked over to the wreckage. "Whoa, I knew he was powerful but he's never done anything like this before."

"You forget Joey," Yugi said as he took a seat beside his dark, "that before we didn't know anything about the power of the Pharaoh or the puzzle. I guess since his memories are intact, his powers are too."

"Well its not like he did anything evil or harmful. He really thought I was in danger. And that's the Yami or Atemu we all know. Someone that would protect us no matter what."

"But it was just a TV!" Joey yelled as he waved his hand over the mess.

"Baka!" Seto stood up from the couch and all but stomped over to the other teen, looking him straight in the eye. "Sometimes I wonder about you. How the hell someone like you got second place in Duelist Kingdom is beyond me!" he growled out. "Atemu only remembers Egypt up until yesterday. He doesn't remember anything else other than being trapped in that damn puzzle for three thousand years! Don't you think it would something strange and new would be a threat to someone that doesn't know about our time!?"

Atemu remained sitting on the couch as Seto and Joey exchanged heated words. He couldn't understand a word of it but he had a feeling they were talking about him again. From where Joey was standing and pointing he figured it was about him blowing up the wall. He didn't mean to do something wrong, he honestly thought they were in danger. But now that Seto and Mokuba had explained what that monster was he felt bad and a tad bit childish for acting the way he did.

This time was confusing to him. Things were so different to him. Lights came on with out lighting them, things of metal moved by themselves, paintings that moved were just part of it. This place just made him feel confined, where was the land, the animals, the trees, or even the life giving waters? He was beginning to wonder if he truly belonged here.

"Then what the hell did you do to him to make him forget everything that happened over the past few years?! Huh? Yugi told us it was you that gave him that potion and used the rod on him! how do we know that you didn't turn him like Marik did to us with that Rod?"

Seto snapped. How dare this mutt think that he would do such a thing! Blue eyes turned cold and dark as he drew back his fist, ready to punch Joey in the mouth for saying such things. Just as he was about to strike, he felt two hands holding his arm back. Growling, he cast a glance at who it was, ready to throw whomever it was off of him, only to find him looking into sorrowful crimson eyes.

"Atemu?" he asked as he lowed his arm and stepped towards the smaller teen.

But Atemu didn't say anything. Instead, he cast his gaze at everyone in the room before he bowed his head, hiding his face from everyone. With his mind made up, he called upon his powers and disappeared from the room in a wisp of shadows.

* * *

Dragon: hahahaha evil aren't we? Don't endings like that just suck? Oh well we haven't had a cliffie in awhile. And thanks to everyone that reviewed last chapter and we agree – Atemu stripping in public would be most enjoyable!!

Translation:

Sxs – run

Sm – go

HA wi – behind me

Aq – perish

Xww – evil

Wi nd sw – I protect him

wnn sgr – be quiet


	5. Chapter 5

Atemu sighed as he felt the familiar presence of the Shadow Realm around him. At least nothing here had changed over the years. Sitting down on the 'floor' he drew his knees up and placed his arms around them, hugging his legs to his chest. Resting his chin on his knees, he closed his eyes.

He hated leaving like that but he knew that if he had waited for Seto to use the Rod he might not have been able to follow through with his plan. He needed to get away from everyone and everything. Too much was confusing him and he needed time to think without anyone interrupting him.

His doubts about belonging in this time were weighing on him greatly. Thoughts of being a failure made him miserable. Why did it have to be so hard to learn their language? He knew more than his fair share when he was Pharaoh, so why was it so hard to learn Seto's? Surely it had to be a pain for the other to constantly have to rely on the mystical item just to speak a few words to each other.

Why did things have to change so much? Where were his gods that he had believed in and trusted since the day he was born? Why did he feel so helpless?

Question after question ran through his head as he felt a sudden wave of loneliness sweep through him. Never before had he been so alone. No, it had always been the other way. He use to have to fight for just a few seconds of alone time, but even then he was never truly alone as he felt now. At least back then he had people, friends, and a lover that knew him, understood him.

Seth. Gods, he missed Seth terribly.

The one person that understood him completely no matter what. Sure they had their dark times, when Seth had tried to take his power and title away from him. But that hadn't been entirely his fault. Most of it Atemu blamed on Seth's father.

But Seth had come through in the end. He had denounced the evil that had taken over him and stood by his side when it matter most. Together they had defeated the enemy just as they had countless times before.

And then Seth stole his heart.

He chuckled to himself as he thought about that. Who would have thought that two people that were rivals, constantly challenging each other, would have fallen in love?

It had scared him at first, for he was sure the other one hated him. Atemu had fallen victim to Seth's cold gaze on more than one occasion. But he held strong and tried to tell himself that he could take what was given to him, even if it was nothing more than a loyal priest.

Boy was he wrong.

No, soon he realized that was not enough. He needed Seth completely and when it was not returned, it tore his heart in two. He was miserable when ever the two were alone talking about plans, battles and upcoming banquets.

But then Seto showed up and changed his world completely.

A boy from the future, looking, acting just like his High Priest, had waltzed into his life and rearranged everything. Soon Seth was sharing his feelings towards him while Seto was giving him faith in a future he was not aware of.

And because of this Seth had given Atemu a future also.

Unwrapping his arms from around his knees, Atemu laid back on the 'floor' and glazed up into the endless swirling shadows above him.

But what kind of future was this? One where his home land was nothing more than a place for sand and strangers to stare at? Where even his name and reign was not known?

This Japan was nothing like what he was use to. Not once had he seen a patch of untouched land, no wild animals, and no temples for his gods, or anything that remotely reminded him of his beloved homeland.

No, all he had was his memories.

Atemu snorted as he rolled over on his stomach. Some memories. He couldn't even remember who those people were back there. They were suppose to be his friends but yet they wasn't anything about them that he understood.

And Yugi, what was it about his little look-a-like? He knew that was the boy that Seto had talked about, the one that had released him but why did he feel so drawn to him. Why was there this over whelming need to keep him close?

The Egyptian slammed his fist down in frustration. Why couldn't he figure it out? He hated not knowing what was going on around him. Growling to himself, he folded his arms and rested his head on them. He had a lot to think about before he would be willing to go back to Seto, but right now he was just to damn tired to pursue the matter. Closing his eyes, he wielded the questions out of his mind. He would think about them later.

* * *

Seto was in shock, paralyzed and silent, staring at the space where Atemu had vanished. 

He heard a shriek from behind him, then the sobbing of Yugi's annoying girlfriend, Anzu. Joey slowly took a few steps backwards, while Yugi rushed forward.

"Atemu? Atemu!" he called desperately, looking around for his soul mate but there was no answer. The silence brought Seto back to the living and with a roar of frustration he turned, eyes flashing.

Joey gave a yelp and tried to run but Seto would have been much faster if it wasn't for Mokuba holding on to him for dear life.

"Seto, damn it, Seto, stop!!! It's as much your fault as his and killing him won't help Atemu!"

Most likely only those words saved Joey Wheeler's life, who hid himself behind Duke, with a quiet, "Don't move, buddy"

Despite the raging wrath that threatened to engulf him, Seto tried to take a few calming breathes, then looked at Yugi.

"Do you have any idea where he went? The Shadow Realm?"

Yugi helplessly shook his head, but suddenly Ryou spoke up,

"If he is there, I know someone who can most certainly help you find him."

With that he closed his eyes and a soft golden glow announced the appearance of his grumpy yami.

"Alright", Bakura muttered, "But you know why, Hikari, and I'm certainly not doing that for the sulking pharaoh."

"You'll find him?", Yugi asked hopefully.

"Why, who are you doing this for?", Seto demanded suspiciously.

Bakura looked at him sourly. "For no one!" he spat. "You don't know the blackmail tactics my light uses..."

Yugi's friends snickered, but one of Seto's trademark glares quickly shut them up.

"So start already, I don't want to think about where he might be right now."

"Let me touch the puzzle, shrimp", Bakura muttered towards Yugi, who complied, ignoring the insult. Both ring and puzzle glowed softly, while the spirit of the ring closed his eyes to search the lost pharaoh.

* * *

"Pharaoh! Where the hell are you?! I know you're doing this on purpose to annoy me!" 

Atemu looked up in surprise. Bakura's voice? Was he still dreaming? Or was the Shadow Realm torturing him with memories of his past life?

Suddenly the shadows swirled in front of him and a grumbling Bakura appeared right in there, just like he remembered him.

"Thief! What are you doing here! Get away, I'm not defenseless yet!!"

And with a shout Atemu called upon his powers, the sennen eye glowing on his forehead.

But in the blink of an eye Bakura vanished and what stayed was only his mocking voice, "By Ra, you must be pissed...."

* * *

"He's in there of course", the dark spirit snarled, "and sulking no less. Best you get in, High Priest. Should be easy with that little rod of yours. I'm sure it'll be far easier for you to lure him out than for me. He was about to banish me to Ra-knows-where! I'm never helping that ungrateful git again."

* * *

Atemu was startled out of a dark, lonely dream by a soft noise coming closer, like resounding footsteps in a very long corridor. Hastily, he scrambled up, half expecting the Tomb Robber again. A dark, very familiar silhouette was slowly coming closer. 

"Seth!", he gasped in surprise.

The figure stopped short, then he heard a well-known voice whispering,

"I am sorry to disappoint you, Atemu. It's Seto."

"No no, I'm not disappointed", Atemu assured him quickly. Too quickly it seemed, because Seto sighed and sat down next to him, trying to keep a distance.

"Look, Atemu. I know me and Seth are different, and I would understand if you ....don't....feel the same for me that you felt for him....I'm sorry if I'm pushing you into something you don't approve of and I promise you I....I will stop it, back with me, alright?"

"Seto", Atemu whispered, "I never said I don't love you....Really, I....it's just awkward, you know? It takes time to get used to you...and...."

"I'm not sure Atemu. You know...you don't have to force yourself to love me, if it feels awkward to you....You don't have to...because of me...."

"Don't say that. You know I feel for you, I did even back in Egypt. Like I said, it just takes time. But I assure you, I do...I do like you...very much. And I think I will come to love you the way I loved him."

Smiling, Atemu reached out to touch Seto's cheek. While his fingertips brushed against the wonderfully soft skin. Blissfully, Seto closed his eyes and enjoyed the caresses.

"I just miss him so", Atemu mumbled, "I just miss what we had back then. I had everything in Egypt, knowledge, respect, a lover, a life, and now I have to build it all up anew. It's so hard and I'm so tired already. I don't think I can manage."

"Oh yes you can," Seto said fiercely, "I will help you, and will throw all those people out. I promise you, they won't bother you anymore. I will teach you Japanese and all the things you need to know about this world. It can only get better from now on! I will show you how to play Duel Monsters and you will see that you can do something perfectly well that nobody will have to teach you. And you have something no one else has, you have the memory of a life in Egypt! Think of how much that would help scientists! They try so hard to figure out Egypt's secrets, imagine what they could find with just a little help of you! And I will be with you! You will never be alone again if I can help it and Mokuba will be with us to help you and Yugi as well. And...you can destroy monitors and toasters and everything you like and I won't mind...You.....You can....even destroy my computers. Really...I...ah, I don't know, just come back with me, I need you there with me."

Atemu sighed softly, and to Seto's surprise tears filled those beautiful eyes.

"I'm like a child", the pharaoh whispered, "making nothing but trouble. It must be horrible for you"

"No, no, it isn't. Really, believe me!", Seto reaffirmed. "Your presence could never be horrible. I....I....you know..." He took a deep breath. The words just wouldn't come out. But if he didn't say it now, who could tell if he would ever get the chance again?

"I love you", he finally said, closing his eyes, not wanting to see the other's expression.

Shock and excitement ran through Seto as he felt Atemu's body straddle his lap. Opening up his eyes, he held back a gasp at the emotions that flooded throughout those ruby colored eyes. Tan hands reached up and pulled his head down gently, until soft warm lips met his own. Closing his eyes, he moaned as the beautiful Egyptian deepened the kiss, causing waves of pleasure to race down his body.

All too soon, in Seto's opinion, Atemu ended the contact, only to lean forward till their foreheads were joined. Hands smaller than his own, began to trace the outline of his face.

"It warms my heart and soul to hear those simple precious words from you."

"I'll gladly tell repeat them everyday if you will come back with me."

With a warm smile, Atemu replied, "Let us return then."

* * *

Yugi sat quietly on the couch staring off into the blown up wall in front of him. He barely registered the other people in the room, much less his girlfriend sitting next to him. Sighing, he cast a quick glance at the clock on the mantel, noting that it had been half an hour since Seto left to go find his dark. 

He could only imagin what was going through the Pharaoh's head when he disappeared and it confused him slightly. Yugi had never known Atemu to ever run from anything in before, but then again things were different now.

Before, he had been nothing but a bodiless spirit, forced to remain inside a golden object, living only through Yugi's eyes. He was never his own person, only 'living' to protect and guide him.

But now, the spirit was real, with a name and body of his own. And more importantly, he had all his memories now. And since he couldn't remember the few years they had shared together he had to assume it was hard for his other to cope with the way things were now, in this time.

Violet eyes scanned the occupants of the room. He wondered if any of them had a clue as to what was going on.

Yugi heard Anzu gasp beside him, turning his head he caught sight of shadows appearing in the middle of the room, swirling around two figures. Jumping up, the hikari ran forward, throwing his arms around his dark once the shadows had disappeared.

"Atemu, Yami. Your back!"

The former spirit kneeled down and hugged the smaller boy back. A strange glow caused both boys to look down between them. White light emanated from the golden object, surrounding both of them, incasing them in it's light.

Seto and everyone else in the room, looked on as the look-a-likes closed their eyes, seemingly in bliss. No one knew what exactly was going on but it was clear that they were not being harmed.

Atemu gasped as he mentally felt a thin, white cord wrap around his mind. Recognizing it, he traced it with his magic only to find that it led back to the smaller boy in his arms. Reaching out, he tried to contact him. ((Yugi?))

Wide violet eyes looked back at him. (Atemu?)

((Yes, it's me.))

Yugi cried as he hugged his dark tighter. (I can understand you!)

Atemu sent a wave of humor towards his light, ((Of course. We have our own language.))

Seto bent down, slightly worried as to why Yugi was crying. "What's wrong Yugi?"

The smaller duelist looked up at him with a smile on his face. "Nothing's wrong. Actually it's never been better. I can feel him again and we understand each other!"

Seto smiled, "Why don't you take him into the kitchen and see if he would like something to eat? I need to talk to the others for a bit."

Nodding his head, Yugi stood up and held his hand out for Atemu as he mentally told him what Seto had suggested.

The CEO watched with a slight smile on his face as the two of them left. Once they had disappeared out of the room, he turned his attention back to the others and wiped the smile off his face.

He glared at every pair of eyes as he spoke, "Alright, I'm only going to say this once. None of you clowns, except Yugi, are ever allowed to come here again until Atemu has gotten better accustomed to his new life. When the time is right, Mokuba will let you know. Until then do not show your faces around here and do not call. Got that?"

Everyone nodded in agreement except Joey. "What if he wants us around? Do you think you can just keep us away from him? We are his friends ya know!"

"Wheeler…" Seto growled out.

"Joey," Ryou gently placed a pale hand on the blondes arm. "What I believe Kaiba is trying to say is… well Yami is a bit overwhelmed by everything. Even if we are his friends, he doesn't remember that. All we are to him is a bunch of people he doesn't understand in a world he doesn't understand either. I'm willing to bet that when you and Kaiba were arguing it upset him. Even you must see how Yami feels about him."

Joey sighed, "Fine I guess I get what your saying Ryou."

"Well I'm glad someone here has brains." Ryou blushed and ducked his head at the Kaiba-like comment. "Shouldn't you all be leaving now?"

Seto and Atemu watched from the kitchen as Mokuba escorted everyone out, leaving them alone again since they returned from the shadow realm. The blue-eyed teen took the Egyptian's hand in his, led him into the destroyed living room and sat down on the couch.

Placing the Rod on the coffee table, Seto closed his eyes and rubbed his hands over his face letting out a breathe of relief. The events of today just reminded him again why he never tried to make friends with that little group.

Atemu eyed the boy next to him, taking in the other's tensed form. Smirking, the former spirit grabbed the Rod off the table and turned around to crawl into Seto's lap.

Blue eyes snapped open and glared playfully at him. Upon seeing the golden object in Atemu's hands, he placed his hand over the other's. "_What is it Atemu?"_

"_You are tense."_

"_I'm always like this, especially around them."_

"_Ah, well would you like me to help you?"_

Quirking an eyebrow in question, he felt the hand beneath his loosen its hold on the Rod only to be placed on his shoulders. He closed his eyes in bliss as he felt small hands work on his tired muscles.

He was almost lulled to sleep when he heard a deep sensual voice filling his ears with a song.

_I hear thy voice, O turtle dove-_  
_The dawn is all aglow-  
__Weary am I with love, with love,  
__Oh, whither shall I go?_

_Not so, O beauteous bird above  
__Is joy to be denied…  
__For I have found my dear, my love,  
__And I am by his side._

_We wonder forth, and hand in hand  
__Through flowery ways we go-  
__I am the fairest in the land,  
__For he has called me so. (1)_

Seto opened his eyes to look into the crimson colored eyes of his love as the song ended. "_That was beautiful_," he breathed in barely a whisper.

Atemu stilled his hands and rested his forehead against his. "_Thank you._" He said right before he let out a yawn.

Seto chuckled and bundled the smaller boy up in his arms as he stood up. _"I believe someone is sleepy."_

Atemu smiled sheepishly as he snuggled closer to Seto's body. _"Can I stay with you tonight?"_

The taller teen stopped in his tracks, looking down at Atemu before he smiled. _"Nothing would make me happier, my Pharaoh."_

* * *

1. Yes that is a true translated Ancient Egyptian love poem. 

Dragon: Damn, I went all sappy – oh well, thanks for the reviews!


	6. Chapter 6

Seto: so… how much is the chapter going to cost me?  
Dragon: -shrugs shoulders- how much is Atemu's happiness worth?  
Seto: -groans- that's not fair!  
Desidera: I have to say four things today:

1. Dragon gets an award for the two giant sentences done **all in ancient Egyptian**, folks!! That takes you hours! Give her credit, hm? –grins-

2. I apologize for the Japanese sentence. It's certainly wrong but I don't know it any better and – let's assume – Atemu doesn't either.

3. Sorry if the updates take a little longer now...the last three weeks of school till the holidays are certainly hard and stressful.

4. Thanks for all your reviews!!! You're awesome!

* * *

"_So tell me again why we are going to this _doubutsuen?"

"_You need to learn more Japanese and this is a good way to learn about the animals we have in this time. You've come along way in the past couple of weeks and I think this will make it easier to put an image with a word."_

"_Ah."_

Atemu walked beside Seto, hand in hand, as they entered the zoo. Eyes wide, the Pharaoh looked around the vast area with interest. Even though he was use to seeing exotic animals around his palace, this place held so much more. He could already hear the strange calls, cries, and noises as they approached the first cage.

Crimson eyes stared in wonderment at the beautiful, large but graceful cat that lazily padded around manmade confinement. It reminded him of the lions that his many gods and goddesses were connected with. But there were differences, such as this creature had stripes, lacked the impressive mane, and the coloring was off. Curious, he asked Seto what it was.

"_That is a _tora. _In the wild they live in places such as India, Tibet, and China. Do you remember the map I showed you?" _Seto looked out the corner of his eye seeing Atemu nod his head. That had been one of the first things they had taught him. Atemu had no concept of just how many countries were on the planet. Amazingly, the former spirit was able to remember most of them in less than a couple of days after being shown. It pleased him to no end to see how brilliant Atemu's mind was.

"_Seto, why are they in cages? Animals such as them should be free."_

Sapphire eyes turned and gazed at him, "_Because in this day an age many of these animals are endangered, their habitat or home, rather, are being destroyed. If we didn't keep them like this then they would become extinct. And the cages let us look at them without getting hurt."_

A delicate eyebrow rose, _"Why is their home being destroyed? Why would people endanger the lives of sacred animals? Do you people really not care to anger the gods?"_

Inwardly Seto sighed. He had tried countless times to tell the other that his gods are no longer but Atemu refused to believe this. He grimaced when he remember that rather heated argument they had about it. The Egyptian stood firm in his beliefs and even though Seto disagreed with him, he had to admire his steadfast faith.

"Atemu, you know how I think about those gods of yours, but as to why the land is being destroyed… well that is because space for humans is limited and we must take over any available land and resources."

The crimson-eyed teen snorted and crossed his arms over his chest but didn't pursue the matter. The last thing he wanted to do was argue with Seto.

Before long, they found themselves walking in the area that housed the birds. Talk between them had been nothing but educational for the former spirit.

"_This one is a type of _fakurou. _They are mainly from northern America and northern Asia."_

"_He's beautiful,"_ Atemu breathed. He was awe struck by the snowy white feathers and golden eyes.

Seto nodded his head not really caring about the appearance of the bird. Turning his head to look at the upcoming creatures, he smiled a bit when he saw something that he was sure Atemu would love to see.

Grabbing his hand, he gently pulled the other over to an oversized metal cage. _"Look here Atemu." _He said as he faced the tanned boy towards the desired object.

Atemu looked and his eyes widened. The cage was larger than the rest, a wood-like landscape built inside, in the middle a rocky ledge with a leafless tree on top of it, serving as a lookout place for a godly creature – at least to Atemu's eyes. Brown feathers elegantly adorning the lithe, agile frame, strong graceful wings resting for now, ready to spread and carry their owner to endless skies, while sharp, yellow eyes searched the ground below for prey.

"Hr!" he whispered.

Seto smiled, "_Actually it is_ taka _now, falcon_."

"_Ah, I don't care",_ Atemu dismissed the Japanese lesson, staring at the animal with the fascination of a child looking at the candles on a Christmas tree.

Incredulously, Seto noticed the falcon caught Atemu's gaze and held it. Suddenly he understood how much alike they were, both beautiful and proud, both wild and dangerous, both free and untamed like the winds of the desert, yet both caged in a world that wasn't theirs....

"_He looks so much like Asim",_ Atemu mumbled, getting closer to the aviary, the bird's eyes never once averting from his. He touched the bars as gently as he would touch the feathers of the sacred animal. "Pt nb"

But as Seto studied his face more closely, he noticed a great sorrow lying in the smile, which now seemed almost wistful to him. And then the smile turned into a confused frown.

"_Why do they keep you like this?",_ the pharaoh asked the falcon_, "Why imprison you?"_

"_It's because if they didn't he'd leave and never come back",_ Seto tried to explain, but Atemu didn't even look at him.

"_Then they should let him be. I couldn't stand to be caged either._"

With a last disgusted look at the iron bars, Atemu stomped off towards the entrance of the aviary, trying to open the door. When he found it locked, anger formed on his face and the lively color of his eyes darkened dangerously.

"_No!",_ Seto cried, wrenching him away. _"You can't do that! You can't free him!"_

"_Why not?!!"_ Atemu shouted, tearing himself away from Seto, _"He needs to be free!!! I can't bear to see him like this!!"_

"_Atemu,"_ Seto tried to reason, _"He wouldn't survive more than three days in the wild. He isn't used to it, he was most likely born here!"_

"_Then I will get him used to the wild!! I don't care how long it takes, I need him to be free!"_

"_No way, Atemu!"_

The pharaoh's eyes narrowed.

"_Fine!",_ he spat, _"I don't need your help or your permission_!" With those words he turned back to the door and again the shadows started to dance in his eyes, tingling in his fingers and making Seto lose his calm.

He grabbed Atemu and forcefully pulled him away, capturing him with his back against the cage, holding him in place. "Stop it!", he hissed, then remembered to touch the rod and continued, _"Atemu, they will punish you for letting the falcon escape! You can't just do that in our society!" _

But Atemu had been a pharaoh, and he still was a fierce fighter. Not a pleasant combination, considering his anger was now directed at Seto.

"_You will not order me anything!!"_, he shouted, _"No one will punish me! I'm the child of the gods!!"_

It had suddenly become very quiet all around them. Seto noticed and turned around, only to see frightened mothers ushering their children away from them. He immediately let go of Atemu's wrists, while the other also noticed the looks directed at him and shut his mouth.

When most of the other people had gone off to another cage, Seto again faced Atemu, surprised to see a decisive look on his face.

"_We will buy the falcon", _Atemu stated flatly, _"I can't, won't leave him here."_

"_Ooooh, no,"_ Seto immediately objected, _"I certainly won't have a falcon in my house and an aviary in my garden!"_

"_Then I will stay here!",_ the pharaoh told him, _"Next to the cage, all alone, no matter how many people look at me strangely! I won't leave without the falcon_"

The last time Seto had heard a threat like this had been when Mokuba was ten. The thought that the pharaoh might use the same methods of persuasion as a ten-year-old almost made him laugh. Well, almost, since Atemu could be far more persistent than his younger brother.

The argument lasted for more than half an hour, and during that time they both received a number of strange looks. Even after those thirty minutes they hadn't come to a decision and the discussion was only interrupted by a zoo warden who not so kindly asked them to stop frightening people away.

Seto couldn't blame him, since their love hadn't lessened the intensity of their confrontations.

The pharaoh's next comment almost made Seto doubt if he had made the right decision in letting Atemu move in with him. Certainly though, he did regretted ever taking him to the zoo or showing him the falcon, because the fiendish ex-ruler just smirked at him and turned to the warden, saying,

"Warera koubai taka"

The warden gaped at him, either because of his broken Japanese or because of his request or both, Seto didn't know.

But Atemu just smiled and sat down on the bench in front of the cage with a meaningful look towards Seto, that clearly stated, 'I will stay here if you don't do this.'

At the age of ten Mokuba had usually been very successful with this method of persuasion. As Seto discovered that a three thousand-year-old pharaoh could get the same results he thought about seeing a doctor immediately. Or a psychologist. Or perhaps both.

* * *

Back at the mansion Atemu was happily singing an Egyptian song to himself, heading to the garden immediately and dragging Seto after him to show him where exactly he wanted to put the aviary. The keepers of the zoo had promised to transport the falcon to them the next day.

"_It would be good here, when you include that tree, don't you think so too, Seto?",_ Atemu chattered, while the other just grunted. He was supposed to be angry with his pharaoh, but failed miserably every time he glanced at Atemu's face and saw the joy there.

Eventually they agreed on a place and Seto called a bunch of expert workers who could build the new home for the falcon in one day. Atemu watched them the whole time while they worked, and every time Seto talked to him, he told him old stories about him and his falcon, Asim, back in Egypt. Now Seto loved when the other would talk to him, loved to listen to his nice, deep voice, but after the fifth tale even he was getting tired of it, as well as jealous of the falcon.

So now, as they sat on the back porch overlooking the construction, Seto hung his head and closed his eyes. He couldn't believe he had let Atemu get a falcon out of him. Mentally, he calculated the amount of money he was shelling out for this little pet-project of the Pharaoh's. It's not like the money really mattered, it was just the very idea of spending it on something trivial as a bird!

But looking back over to Atemu, seeing that undeniable joyous look on his handsome face, he just shrugged his shoulders and wondered when exactly he had become soft – oh yeah, when he spoke those three little words…

"What the hell is this?!"

Seto turned around and found his brother standing just inside the siding glass doors, staring with his mouth agape at the workers and building material.

"That is the result of a very bad idea."

"Huh?" Mokuba walked over and took a seat in one of the chairs beside his brother before he turned and smiled at Atemu. "nfr mSrw, Atemu."

The Pharaoh smiled, "nfr mSrw, Mokuba."

Ever since Atemu had begun to learn Japanese, Mokuba had started learning the royal's language. The younger Kaiba was intrigued by the foreign sounding words and wanted to learn, plus he felt it would be nice if the former spirit had someone he could talk to in his native tongue. It was Mokuba's way of giving something back to Atemu for making his brother happy.

"So brother, mind telling me what's going on?"

Sighing he began, "Well I thought we would go to the zoo and have a Japanese lesson but it seems it turned into a shopping spree when Atemu spotted the falcon exhibit. He didn't take too kindly to it being caged and pitched a royal fit, literally. Believe it or not, his tactics at getting what he wants are better than yours. So as you can see, as of tomorrow Atemu will be the proud owner of a falcon."

Mokuba blinked before he fell over laughing.

"It's not funny Mokuba."

"Yes, it is," he said between fits of laughter. "Just wait till Yugi-tachi hears about this. The great Ice King Seto Kaiba giving in to his famous rival."

He growled his reply, "You don't get it! He thinks that thing is a god! He swears it should be free and he is going to teach it to live as it would in the wild!"

Atemu glared at the older Kaiba. He had been listening to the conversation, picking up on an enough words to know what they were talking about. Talking about his gods as if they didn't exist was beginning to irritate him greatly.

Slate-gray eyes caught the look Atemu was giving his brother and tried to defuse the situation. "But brother, you surely realize that Atemu is a Pharaoh and still thinks like one. Even you must remember studying about the ancient gods in school. To the Egyptians the gods are real and the Pharaoh is the Living Horus. Of course he's going to think a falcon is a god."

Seto snorted and crossed his arms. In the heat of the discussion, he clearly forgot Atemu was there and could understand a good bit of what he was saying. "Mokuba, Atemu is living in our time now and he needs to realize that his gods are no longer. Just because he use to be Pharaoh doesn't mean he is in this time; he is not Horus."

Fuming, Atemu stood up and pounded his fist on the patio table. " p3 ntrw nh! R nh! Wsir nh! Ir(i) nn hm! M33 m p3y-k irk! wi, nb-t3wy, nis R!" (translation: The gods live! Ra lives! Osiris lives! Do not be ignorant! See with your eyes! I, Son of Ra, summon Ra!)

Both brothers froze wide-eyed as they watch the crimson aura flare around Atemu. Eyes ablaze with power, flashed as a golden light pierced the darkening sky. The holy beam flooded the entire area, illuminating everything it it's path. A mighty, unearthly roar broke the deafening silence that played around them.

All eyes from both the workers and Kaibas stared transfixed as a golden dragon broke through clouds and descended to the land below. With a smirk on his face, Atemu crossed his arms and looked at Seto and Mokuba. "h3 im! m R! Seto, Ir(i) nn sta, R nh!" (translation: Ha! There! Behold Ra! Seto, do not be difficult!)

Everyone stared at the beast in horror as it again let out a mighty roar, dark clouds gathering around it, lightning sizzling through them. Mokuba took a step back and grabbed the sleeve of Seto's trench coat. That action woke Seto from his numb state of shock.

"What the hell are you doing!!!!", Kaiba screamed, losing his temper, while everyone stared at the dragon in shock. "Get Ra away!!!"

Atemu glared at him with a truly vengeful smile on his face, eyes dark with dancing shadows and a satisfied gleam in them. It infuriated Seto to no end and with a loud growl he stomped over towards the pharaoh. Atemu's eyebrows drew together as he whispered menacingly, "kfA-ib, Seto. Ptr Dnd ny wr nTr." (translation: Careful, Seto. Observe the rage of the great god.)

Seto felt irritation take over his soul like a black fire and a hundred murderous thoughts ran through his head, but he knew he had to will them down. He looked hard at Atemu's face, trying to see something he loved in that face. There was cold rage there, anger, but beneath it all, he suddenly recognized hurt.

He stopped abruptly. He had hurt Atemu's feelings. He, who had sworn to love him most, had hurt the pharaoh. He had done all this to him and now he hurt him and taking the last thing he believed in away from him.

Why did he want to do that? Did he want to imprison Atemu in his house and change him into a perfect Japanese boy? No, never! Then why was he doing this? Atemu had respected everything the new world had offered to him, until he had seen the caged falcon. But he hadn't even accepted one small thing of Atemu's world! Even his little brother had understood the need to do so and had tried to learn a bit of Atemu's language... Just because no one else believed in the Ancient Egyptian Gods didn't mean Atemu couldn't believe in them. Hell, it made him even more exotic, unique, and perfect! No, he certainly couldn't change Atemu to his own likes and dislikes, he was his own person. That would be putting him...into a cage; like the falcon.

He realized suddenly what Atemu had felt, looking at the imprisoned symbol of his god. The anger, the sadness, the feeling of betrayal.

Kamisama, what had he done? And how could he mend the hurt he had caused? It seemed there was only one way to do so, to show Atemu what he felt. It required giving a bit of himself away as well, getting soft, getting weak, getting dependent. But wasn't Atemu more important? Didn't he want to give all of himself to Atemu? Yes, he did. And so, only this once, he had to give in.

He took a last step forward and put the rod to the ground, then he stood back, looked Atemu in the eye and tried to recall everything he had ever said, find the words he needed and form two sentences out of it.

"Wi mAA... tn ...Nxtw. Wi ....xti." (I see... your.... victory. I ...retreat.)

Atemu's mouth fell open, his god suddenly forgotten. His lover had talked in Egyptian! Without the rod's help! And those words! Oh, he now knows how much they must have cost his former High Priest. He saw the hidden meaning that lay in them and suddenly all his anger dissolved, and with it the shadows around him. With a silent wave of his hand he dismissed Ra, thanking him absently, his eyes never leaving Seto's form, which stood proudly, straightly, but hung his head as if he was afraid of himself. Then Seto turned around without a word, leaving the rod where it lay and walked over to the frightened workers.

Absentmindedly, Atemu realized he told them the dragon was one of his machines or – how did he call them? – holograms, and that there was no need to worry. The pharaoh picked up the rod and held it in both hands, staring down at it. He stood like this for the longest time. Suddenly he felt Mokuba tapping him on the arm.

"My brother, Sm." Mokuba said in a mixture of Egyptian and Japanese, pointing to where he expected Seto to be. Atemu nodded and walked off as if in a dream, past the unfinished aviary towards the tall tree in the last corner of the garden. Seto was leaning against the tree and the pharaoh halted a few meters before him.

He must have heard Atemu approach him, but he didn't look him in the eye, just stared down again. Very gently, the other boy stepped closer and took Seto's hand, putting the rod into it and curling his fingers around it, holding them so he could communicate with the other. When he had done so he bit his lip, not finding the right words. Unexpectedly, Seto suddenly started the conversation.

"_I sure am a horrible lover. I don't think I deserve you. Maybe you would be happier living with Yugi, now you can talk to him...."_

Atemu sighed softly, his thumb running circles over Seto's hand. "_Don't say that, Seto. I would never want to live apart from you."_

Slowly, Seto turned his face to look at him. "_Even if I hurt you like this? Even if I already made so many mistakes?"_ His eyes hardened. "_Go away, Atemu, it's better for you."_

The other just smiled, taking Seto's free hand into his and lifted it to his cheek, placing it there and holding it in place.

"_No_," Seto mumbled desperately, "_You make yourself unhappy. Go away. Go away!"_ He tried to shout but it came out as a miserable choking sound as Atemu pressed his lips hard against Seto's. "_Go...away...",_ he panted helplessly as Atemu started to place kisses up and down his neck.

"_Never_", Atemu whispered against his skin, _"Never."_

Seto's hand slipped to the back of Atemu's head and tenderly pulled him against his chest, the rod pressing painfully into their sides between them, but niether of them cared. And then he whispered into his pharaoh's ear, _"I will never try to cage you again, my falcon."_

* * *

Translations:

Doubutsuen – zoo

Tora – tiger

Fakurou – owl

Hr – Horus

Pt nb – sky lord

Warera koubai taka – we buy falcon

Nfr mSrw – good evening

Sm - go


	7. Chapter 7

Seto: Both of you are making me seem like a lovesick schoolgirl.  
Yami: But Seto-chan it's so sweet!  
Seto: -growls- I don't do sweet, cute or anything else of that sort!  
Dragon: -chuckles- that's why we are here!

Atemu looked on in excitement as the zoo's transport truck pulled up to the mansion. He cast a quick glance at Seto, who was standing beside him, before he grabbed his hand and led him closer to the truck as it stopped.

Seto shook his head in amusement before he handed the elk hide gauntlet over to the former spirit for him to use. He had spent the night looking up any and all information on falconry and wasted no time buying everything Atemu would need for their new arrival today. He was just thankful that it had been shipped so fast.

Taking the soft but thick gauntlet, Atemu slipped it on to his arm with a smile on his face. It pleased him that the other seemed to have understood his need to do this. Last night's events played through his mind. He didn't mean for things to go as they did but he had to get through to Seto that some things were important to him, and this falcon was one of them.

Zoo workers jumping out of the truck brought him out of his musings and he stepped closer to the end of the truck where they were unlocking the back of it. Inside he noticed was a rather large dog carrier with the word 'caution' on it.

Soon a loud squawk was heard, letting Atemu know that his falcon was indeed in the carrier. He watched closely as they pulled the carrier out of the back of the truck and set it down onto the lawn.

One of the men paused to place a worn out gauntlet on his arm before he flipped the latch to open metal gate. Without looking in, the man shoved his covered hand in and roughly tried to seize the bird making it squawk in protest.

Atemu visibly tensed as he watch the man so carelessly try to grab the falcon. Anger rushed through him as stomped forward and grabbed the man by the back of his shirt and hauled him up. Crimson eyes were ablaze with flames as he let the man go and bore holes into the man's eyes.

"rwi wyz." He hissed out. (go away fool)

Sensing what was about to happen, Seto walked forward and grabbed the stunned man and pulled him away from his enraged love to a safe distance while making sure the man's partner didn't interfere with Atemu.

"Just leave him be, he knows what he's doing." Seto said in a firm tone.

"But how can he?" the man asked as he turned to watch the crimson-eyed teen. "He's just a kid!"

Seto growled, "He isn't a kid and I'm willing to bet my entire fortune that he has more intelligence in his finger than you do in that thick head of yours. Now, if you want to get out of here alive, I suggest you two stay away from him."

The zoo employee gulped and paled as he pulled away from the unnatural icy glare he was receiving.

Smirking, Seto turned back to watch Atemu as he kneeled down in front of the opening to the crate.

Whispering calming words in his native language, Atemu slowly reached his gauntlet-covered hand into the over-sized plastic cage. Ducking his head down so he could peer in, he gently brushed his fingers against the puffed feathers on the enraged hunter's chest.

"ii n wi Hr-3hty. Ir nn snd." (Come to me Horus of the Horizons. Do not fear.)

Slowly, he let his fingers trail down to the legs of the falcon, asking permission to take a hold of them. Not sensing or seeing any signs of resistance, Atemu gently took the bird into its grasp and slowly pulled the sacred bird out of its confinement.

Cooing, Atemu brought the bird out into the early afternoon sunlight, only to frown when he noticed the hood covering the bird's head and the tether tied to his leg. Reaching up, while the bird settled on his hand, he released the hood.

Sharp eyes peered at him curiously before he stretched his wings and clicked his beak.

Chuckling, Atemu reached his hand into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a baggie with a few pieces of raw meat in it. Taking one, he held it up for the predator to get.

"hkr?" (hungry)

In one swift movement, the falcon snatched the offering, downing it in one gulp. Clicking its beak again, Atemu offered it another piece of meat.

Seto smiled softly as he watched the teen feed his newly acquired friend. Turning to the man beside him, he almost laughed at the astonished look on the other's face.

"Told you."

The man looked from Atemu to Seto with wide-eyes, "He's had one before?"

"Yes. Now I think you and your partner can leave now."

Pulling out some papers from his back pocket, the man looked back at Atemu. "They gave me some papers on how to care for him, but I don't think he needs them. But I will leave them for you anyways. It will give you details on what breed he is, age and health condition also."

Seto took the papers and nodded his head.

* * *

At lunch Mokuba found his scowling brother sitting alone in the kitchen, stabbing angrily at innocent little rice balls alternately with chopsticks and with his fork - he had gotten used to using them both.

"What happened, Nisama?"

A low grumble was his only answer. So Mokuba went to the window and took a look outside, already suspecting a reason for Seto's dark mood. As he had expected, he spied a patch of red moving around in the huge grass-covered space of the Kaiba mansion's enormous garden. A small brown spot, which Mokuba suspected to be the falcon, sat a few meters apart now and then spreading his wings but obviously the flying part didn't work yet. It was no wonder, Mokuba thought, the poor animal had just got out of a lifetime of captivity.

"Perhaps he should give his falcon a bit of a rest before he starts with this training," the younger Kaiba mumbled to himself.

"My point," Seto growled, "I haven't seen him in here ever since they delivered that damn bird. He only cares about that little, feathery,..." He threw the fork onto the plate with a loud clatter. "Ah, sorry, Mokuba. I feel better now. I'll go outside and talk to him. He needs to give the both of them a break."

Mokuba smiled a secret smile to himself as his brother walked out of the door. He admired the mood swings and new kinds of behavior Atemu could bring out in his brother.

Leaning onto the windowsill he watched as his brother strode out of the back door of the mansion, up to Atemu and the falcon.

The pharaoh half turned his head when he heard the grass rustle behind himself. Smiling, he pressed a finger to his lips to signal the other to be quiet so he wouldn't scare the bird.

He saw the tall teen stop and cross his arms with a frown on his face and guessed the reason immediately. He smiled to himself. Jealousy was something he recognized in Seto. It had always been one of Seth's most dominant characteristical features, and he had always resented it as much as he enjoyed it because it showed him the other's intentions, in that case, his love.

He extended an arm towards Seth's incarnation, encouraging him to take it and come closer. Seto's frown deepened, but his hand betrayed him, seeking Atemu's and clasping with it. Carefully, the pharaoh pulled him in until he stood by his side, not quite touching but skin tingling in anticipation of a touch. Atemu closed his eyes and tilted his face up a bit, sighing softly, as if a summer breeze was tangling his hair and carrying the scent of delicate flowers to his senses.

"_I enjoy your presence",_ he murmured. Then he slowly slid his incredible eyelids open and smiled mischievously up at Seto, who just raised an eyebrow, not yet forgiving five hours spent alone in the mansion.

Atemu just shook his head turning back to the falcon, who had taken his time, flying up onto one of the lower branches of the huge oak tree that provided shade from the afternoon sun. He held his head proudly, staring down at the interesting humans.

The pharaoh smiled and reached into his pocket, producing another piece of meat, very similar to the one he had used this morning, throwing it into the air. The falcon gave a sharp cry, spread his wings and dove down to catch it before it reached the ground. Sharp claws flexed neatly around the red piece as the sky predator drew himself up again with practiced precision and perfect grace.

Proudly, Atemu gazed at Seto, watching his reaction. He could tell the other was impressed and that made his heart skip a beat. It was so good to know how to do something again, so good to be sure in everything he did, so good to be in complete control, training the animal with exquisite care, guiding it towards the right movements, getting it used to him, and to Seto as well, later.

"_I taught him that today,"_ he told him happily, _"He's a quick learner, and very skilled. I need a name for him now." _He smiled, concentrated for a moment and then added in Japanese, "I want ...to give...a name to... him in... you language"

Seto smiled, "_It's_ 'your language', _but I would like that. What name did you have in mind?"_

"_Freedom",_ Atemu said softly, sliding his hand into Seto's hair to pull his face closer.

"Jiyuu", Seto mumbled back, letting his face be tucked down towards the other's lips.

"Jiyuu then"

"Nisama!"

Seto jumped back just before their lips met and Atemu growled in disappointment.

"What is it, Mokuba? Don't shout like that, you'll frighten Jiyuu."

"Who?", Mokuba stopped confused, "Atemu's falcon? Oh, that's a nice name for him" He grinned at Atemu. "Nfr rn", he repeated in Egyptian (Beautiful name)

"Arigatou", Atemu replied, grinning back.

"What is it, little brother?", Seto wanted to know.

"Ah, yes, I came to tell you Yugi is asking if he can come see Atemu. He brought the others and they all promised to behave. Even Joey did. They really want to see him."

Hopefully, Mokuba looked at his Nisama, who in turn glanced at Atemu.

"Ready to see them?", he asked concernedly.

Atemu hesitated for a moment, then he nodded. "Hai."

"Alright," Seto decided, "But tell them they have to be quiet. Absolutely quiet, or I'll throw them out immediately."

* * *

His eyes sparkling, Mokuba led the Yugi-tachi into the enormous garden. It was a walk of almost fifteen minutes until they got to where Atemu and Kaiba were exercising with the falcon. They all tried to stay very silent, curious to see what the two of them were doing. The younger Kaiba grinned. He hadn't yet told them about Jiyuu.

When Seto noticed his brother approaching with the gang he stepped back from Atemu but not after having whispered into his ear, _"Give them a show."_

Atemu smirked and reached into his pocket for a fresh piece of meat, calculating the distance to the tree for a moment.

"Jiyuu," he called softly, getting the bird's attention, "aH st" (Catch it)

Then he threw the falcon's prey into the air, right above himself, tilting his head back to watch it fall down again, opening his mouth as if he was about to catch it himself. A moment later Jiyuu passed just above his head, wings stroking his face and neck as the falcon's claws grasped their target.

There came a collective gasp from the audience.

Seto, a small distance away, stared at the pharaoh, marveling at how he could ever have tried to withhold this falcon from Atemu. He didn't know when he had fallen in love with the pharaoh in Egypt. Of course, he had been attracted to him the minute he had seen him for the first time, but that hadn't been love yet. Love had approached with slow steps, stealing secretly into his heart. But now, as he watched the pharaoh play with the falcon, the look of joy in his face as he gave a part of his soul to the animal – he fell in love with him for the second time, violently, suddenly, achingly and yet so very wonderfully, so very deeply.

He closed his eyes and smiled.

Atemu noticed the smile on Seto's face and forgot everyone around him. As if in a trance, he walked up to the taller teen, lifted a slender bronzed hand and caressed Seto's face.

Gentle touches caused blue eyes to open. Seeing his loved one before him, he leaned forward and captured the Egyptian's soft lips. "I love you."

A chorus of "awws" brought both teens out of their own little world, making Seto blush slightly while a smirk played on Atemu's lips.

Yugi and Mokuba both giggled at the sight, pleased things were going so well. Joey looked both amused and disgusted at the same time. Bakura retreated deep into his soul room and proceeded to bang his head hard onto the 'wall' while cursing up a storm. Ryou could do nothing but flinch at the crude words that echoed throughout his head. Tristen and Duke coughed rather loudly, trying to cover up their laughter and Anzu just smiled and squeezed Yugi's hand.

Seeing Seto's discomfort at having been seen showing affection, he decided to turn everyone's attention onto him. "Hello everyone." He said as he extended his arm and gave a sharp whistle.

A piercing cry came from above making everyone turn their heads in that direction. Broad, agile wings stretched outward, before they flapped once, sending the majestic bird into fight. Silently, Jiyuu tucked his wings slightly, letting him descend down towards his target. Once close enough to Atemu's gauntlet covered arm, he splayed his wings again, flapping them a few times, till his sharp talons sank into the elk hide.

Bringing out another piece of meat to the falcon, he turned and grinned at the astonished looks on everyone's faces.

"Wow Atemu, when did you get the bird?" Yugi asked in barely a whisper, not wanting to startle the fierce looking falcon.

"When they went to the zoo yesterday," a sly grin spread across Mokuba's face. "Atemu wanted to free it and so my brother bought it and had workers come yesterday and built the aviary."

Seto scowled as Joey cracked up. "What's so funny, mutt?"

Seeing an argument was about to start, Yugi stepped forward as he pulled something out of his deck case. "Atemu, I brought these for you. I think they belong to you more than me."

Raising an eyebrow, he released Jiyuu, took the gauntlet off before taking the cloth-covered item from his look-a-like. Carefully removing the fabric, he gasped when he say what it was. "Osiris! Ra! Obelisk!" Then he looked at the last card given to him, "dw3 R! Mahaado…" (praise Ra)

Still as a statue, he stared at the four cards given to him. He couldn't believe that his ancient Ka monsters were now nothing more than playing cards from what Seto had told him, but to see them, hold them like this tore at his heart. Especially seeing his friend's Ka and Ba together on a flimsy piece of papyrus.

Seto was studying his love when he noticed the sorrowful look take over his face. Placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, he spoke in barely a whisper. "Atemu? Daijouba ka? (are you alright?)

Crimson eyes tore away from the precious cards in his hand to look into concerned cerulean. Then he swung his sight to Yugi and smiled slightly. "Hai. Arigatou Yugi."

"Hey Kaiba! Have you two dueled yet? Has he wiped the floor with ya yet?"

Seto growled at the blonde, "No mutt we haven't. We've been two busy with more important things."

"Whoa! Kaiba thinks something else is more important than dueling!? Man he must be in love!"

"Joey," Tristen warned, "Maybe you should quit while you still have your head."

"Have you even showed him how to play with the cards, Kaiba?" Yugi asked while watching his dark study the cards in his hands.

"No, I haven't."

"Well why don't we teach him? Two of us could duel each other and someone could explain it to him while he watches. Then someone could duel him once he's learned the rules."

Seto looked over at Atemu, thinking about what Yugi suggested. Nodding his head, he replied; "Alright, but we'll do it tomorrow. It's already late and Atemu needs time to set up a deck."

"You're going to give him cards?"

"Of course!" Mokuba chirped, "My brother has every card ever made! He has a whole room full of them!"

Joey groans, "Then that means he will get some of the best cards ever made! That's not fair! It took us years to prefect our decks!"

Seto just smirked as he placed and arm around Atemu's waist. "Then I suggest you go home and work on your mediocre skills."


	8. Chapter 8

Sitting on the floor in the middle of Seto's 'card' room, Atemu absentmindedly traced the embroidered dragon on the leg of his leather pants while staring that the stacks of cards in front of him. A few of the cards he had chosen were fanned out, away from the stacks, showing their importance to him. Among them of course were the god cards and his Dark Magician. The others were magic cards that would enhance the loyal monster.

Stopping the mindless tracing, he picked up the stacks of magic and trap cards and shuffled them before adding the other chosen monster cards to it. Placing the almost completed deck back on the floor, he picked up the three god cards and began to run his finger over the edges as a frown formed on his face.

He still couldn't believe his gods were bound to thin pieces of paper that alone seemed to take all the powerful, magnificent wonder out of them. He remembered them standing proudly and gracefully in any battle he had fought together with them, he remembered their enormous power, that made everyone quiver or stare in awe. It was easy to entrust your soul to beings like them.

But what had they become now? What power did they still possess, enough to defend him? Enough to let him self fall and believe they would save him from whatever evil threatened him?

What had happened to the great civilization down at the Nile? Yugi had told him the pyramids of Giza were still standing, but now there were annoying people from all around the world stomping through the ancient labyrinths built to ensure that the buried king would not be disturbed in his grave. Seto had shown him pictures of temples, he remembered them much more colorful, lighter, more magical. Every single crack in every single stone that had once been so much, so high, was a crack in his soul.

But at the same time he stared in awe at intimidating huge buildings that seemingly touched the white clouds, seas of lights at night when he looked down onto the city of Domino, sounds and adventure everywhere. He was torn between fear and curiosity. And he enjoyed it; he had to admit that much. Despite all the difficulties he had to face, with Seto's careful guidance he felt he could manage this.

This new world had a new form of power. Now Atemu wondered if the gods had gained that kind of power as well.

With a soft creaking sound the door to the room slid open to reveal the tall figure of Seto Kaiba, who stepped carefully into the room, towards the pharaoh.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, standing a few meters apart.

"I am alright", Atemu answered, proud of the correct Japanese sentence.

Seto smiled and kneeled down next to him, looking at the god cards in his hands.

"_It must feel good to have your gods again as your allies in a duel."_

Atemu sighed, _"I don't know. Even they seem different from back in Egypt. I still can't imagine they'd let their power be imprisoned like this. And what about my power, is it still the same it was back then? I know I can still call upon them, that they are alive, but will they still want to fight for me? It's been centuries, am I still worthy?"_

His blue-eyed rival comfortingly placed his arm around his shoulders, rubbing them softly.

"_I can tell you from experience, Atemu, the gods are extremely powerful. And they would always answer to your call, they are the same as they were back then, only their card forms are adapted to suit our modern purposes."_

"_How can you be so sure, Seto? They could be angered for being used in such a way, or being called into this time."_

"_I'm going to give you one piece of advice, Atemu,"_ Seto said very slowly, putting his free hand onto the other boy's that was resting on top of the god cards, _"It is the one piece of advice you and Yugi used to give to other duelists when you still shared a body. You were talking about the 'Heart of the Cards'. I never really believed it, it sounded too optimistic, too much like magic for me. But now, after all that has happened, I cannot deny the existence of magic anymore, and thus I can believe there is some truth in the necessity of showing respect towards your monsters, of regarding them not as mere objects but as friends. If nothing else it certainly should have a psychological effect on the duelist._

_Trusting in your abilities is one thing, no duelist survives without that, but in addition to that trusting in your cards makes you even more confident and helps to keep your mind free of anxiety so you can concentrate on the game. Well, Atemu, believe in the Heart of the Cards."_

Atemu looked down at their joined hands, and then lifted his head to lock his eyes with Seto's. _"You seem to be giving up all your beliefs for me. You don't know how much that means to me". _And then he added in Japanese, "You make me happy."

"You make me happy as well, Atemu. wn Hna wi." (Be with me)

Their lips found each other for a gentle, heart-stopping kiss that lasted for long minutes. Finally Seto broke away and picked up another card; the Dark Magician.

"_Do you believe now?",_ he asked softly.

"_Yes, I do,"_ Atemu smiled, _"I know I can always trust Mahaado. He would save me out of any danger. That cards...it means a lot to me, its like carrying part of my soul with me."_

"_I am just glad I don't have to share you with that card, after all I want you for myself",_ Seto answered mischievously.

But the pharaoh just laughed. _"Don't worry, my dear Seto, you will never have to share me again." _

"_I do hope so,"_ Seto growled and attacked the other's mouth again, this time with passion. Atemu immediately moaned against his lips, his hands finding their way into Seto's hair.

At that moment the doorbell of the Kaiba mansion rang, announcing the arrival of Yugi and Jou for the first duel.

* * *

Sitting on the grass, Seto pulled Atemu into his lap, comfortably resting his arms around his love's waist. Sighing in content, he placed his chin on top of the shorter teen's head and began to relay more of the duel between Yugi and Jou. Of course Seto had to throw in a few insults along the way.

In front of them stood Yugi and Joey, duel disks on, cards spread out in their hands. Flame Swordsman stood proud and fearless before Joey while Gaia the Fierce Knight sat patiently on his steed that snorted and pawed at the ground below his hooves.

Yugi placed two face down cards into their slots and ordered Gaia to take out Joey's monster leaving him defenseless.

"_That is why Joey will never get any better than he is. He tends to rely on a 'luck' deck."_

Atemu just smiled and shook his head as Joey summoned another monster. He had been watching and listening for the past twenty minutes as their duel wore on. It was easy for him to see what Seto had meant by what he was saying. Even though Joey did rely on 'luck' cards he still was an excellent duelist. But he would let Seto rant and rave all he wanted. Cause he knew deep down – really deep down – the CEO respected the blonde.

"Alright Joey, I hate to do this to you but it's time I won this."

"Bring it on Yug! There's no way you can beat me!"

"Face it mutt, you can't hold a candle to Yugi!"

"Ah shut your mouth Moneybags! Just wait till Atemu beats your ass like always!"

"But there's only one person who can beat me whereas there is several who can beat you."

"Kaiba! Just you wait! When I'm done here I'm going to come over there and beat.."

"Joey!"

"Aw Yugs. Please can't I just beat his face in just this one time? It will make me feel so much better!"

"Poor puppy, having to tuck his tail in front of his master."

"Damn it Kaiba!"

"Wheeler maybe you should…umph!"

Both Yugi and Joey started laughing when Seto's mouth was attacked by Atemu effectively cutting off the would be insult.

"Eww, even though that's the first affective means of shutting him up that I've seen, that's just nasty."

"Joey, maybe you should stop while you're head. Besides, it's time for me to finish you off. First I play Soul Exchange and use your Harpy's Brother as a tribute to bring out Summoned Skull. And now that you are completely defenseless, I'll attack your life points directly!"

Atemu ended the kiss with a satisfied smirk on his face just in time to see Yugi's monster bring Joey's life points down to zero.

"_I'll get you back for that."_ The former spirit shivered from Seto's voice whispering in his ear.

"_I'm sure you'll try."_

"_Try?"_

"Hai." Getting up from Seto's lap, he walked over to Yugi and let his light show him how to put the duel disk on as the brown haired teen shook his head in amusement.

* * *

Seto watched with both a sense of pride and joy as he watched his love affectively sacrifice and summon Chaos Sorcerer (2300/2000) to stand beside his Dark Magician. It was kind of strange seeing Atemu use this new deck, he was so use to dueling against the joined deck of Yugi and the spirit. But left to form a deck on his own, Atemu put together a subtlety powerful set of cards.

After Atemu ended his turn by placing one card face down, Seto drew his next card. Smirking, he sacrificed his own Dark Zebra (1800) to bring out his most prized monster.

"Alright Atemu, it's time for you to come face to face with my Blue Eyes!"

Atemu watched silently as the Zebra vanished and was replaced with the magnificent shimmering white creature. Memories of Seth and his loyal dragon fighting on the battlefield flashed before him. Shaking his head, he dismissed the images. He was no longer part of that time. He was here and now, fighting for fun with nothing more than holographic images. And more important, this was Seto and _not_ Seth.

Placing his famous smirk on his face, he stood tall and proud, like the King he was and faced his opponent. "Gone on Kaiba, attack me."

Seto blinked at the use of his last name before he chuckled realizing that Atemu was consciously or subconsciously reverting back into his old rival. The challenge was in the air and even though he knew that his opponent's face down card could be a trap, he ordered the attack anyways.

"Activate Dragon Capture Jar!"

Growling, as the holographic image of the card appeared, he switched his monster into defense mode, canceling the attack.

"Now I play Mystic Plasma Zone and give both Dark Magician and Chaos Sorcerer a five hundred attack boost. Now my Dark Magician destroy his Blue Eyes!"

Seto growled again as his beloved monster was destroyed right before his eyes, but smiled when Atemu sent his Sorcerer to finish off his life points. And so Seto just closed his eyes and let himself fall. He'd never done this before; he'd always faced defeat with rage, with contempt, with denial. But this time there were no such feelings. He didn't understand it, he felt confused, and for a horrible second he got the feeling of losing everything. But when the afterglow of the Sorcerer's attack died down the feeling passed and he realized he was still standing. Still facing Atemu, waiting for the victorious smirk to steal onto his rival's face.

But Atemu had been through a change as well, and his smile was genuine, and loving. Seto could almost feel him looking right into his soul, gently inquiring, trying to lure him into giving a sign of what he was feeling. What did he feel? Weakness? Well, he didn't feel strong of course, but the way Atemu was smiling at him just didn't allow him to feel weak. Jealousy? No, he granted the pharaoh that victory, he just deserved it after so many disappointments. Besides, he already had Atemu, what more did he need? Annoyance? Hell, no, he could challenge Atemu any time to a rematch! And one day he would perhaps win. But even that suddenly held no importance. The only important thing was that smile, that wonderfully beautiful smile.

Carefully he collected his cards, stroking over his BEWD cards in a loving manner, before walking up to his boyfriend.

"Congratulations", he whispered into the other boy's ear, leaning down to make sure his whisper caressed the sensitive skin of Atemu's neck in the process. Atemu took an unsteady breath, and then suddenly threw his arms around Seto, pressing his face into his lover's shoulder.

He was so happy he couldn't describe this feeling. Finally, after such a long time, after darkness and nightmares, after losing everything he had regained something that felt like home, that he was good at, that he could win at! For the first time he felt he belonged here, that it wasn't just some cruel joke of the gods to show him what he could have had but would never get. For the first time he truly and strongly believed he could once become a member of this society, could learn all its quirks and rules. For the first time a sense of power flooded his heart, giving him the confidence he had lacked since he felt his new body for the first time, since his first night in this new world, that had felt so strange, so new, so disturbingly unpredictable and intimidating.

It had felt like being reborn when he realized that day that he was indeed freed from the shadows by the one he had loved for so long. Then, day after day, he had been like a stunned, wide-eyed child, trying to comprehend the world, barely able to walk, barely able to speak. He had studied and learned from the others, he had had assistance, but just like any other child after a while he had felt the need to do things on his own, to be his own person, to manage without the help of others.

Like a teenager who defied his parents he had rebelled against Seto and made him buy that falcon. With Jiyuu he felt freedom, the way the young boys in Egypt had felt when they had received their first horse, and the odd feeling of being caged suddenly vanished. And now he felt he had grown up. He had learned a lot in a very short time, and he was capable now to survive on his own. Nevertheless he knew now where he belonged; he had found himself again. And although he knew the process of growing up wasn't ended yet and perhaps would not end till he died, he felt he had taken an important step that he could be very proud of.

And all of this had been Seto's doing. Without Seto, Yugi and Mokuba, and even Yugi's friends he would never have been able to do this. Ah, how much they suddenly meant to him! He never wanted to let go of the man in his arms, just hugged Seto more tightly, while whispering into his ear a series of 'thank you', not caring what it might look like to Joey and Yugi.

Seto was surprised at first, but he hugged Atemu back, small movements of comfort making them sway slightly, as if they were dancing, but more slowly than any music could have lead them, more subtly than that. Whatever in that moment had happened to their relationship, both of them felt it was something huge, but approaching gently, giving them time to get used to the feeling. Both of them knew today would be special.

The other two duelists were watching the display in awe. Even Joey who had been so disgusted at the thought of the two of them being together was now feeling the importance of the moment they shared. Uncharacteristically, he was quiet, especially as he saw the adoring, loving smile on Yugi's face as he watched his dark being so happy.

When Atemu's rambling had died down and they had come to a stop on the grassy ground, Seto pulled away, stroking the back of his hand across his love's forehead. "We have to celebrate your victory", he smiled, "Let's go out tonight."

Atemu nodded happily. "I would...love that, Seto"

His heart dancing, Seto pressed a lingering kiss to the other's lips, mumbling, "pn grh tw grh-n" (This night is our night)

At Atemu's request, Seto allowed everyone to bring another person to dinner – which was Anzu for Yugi, Mai for Joey and Mokuba for himself. So they finally needed a table for seven people, which Seto reserved at a traditional Japanese restaurant.

Atemu took his time to prepare, this time taking Yugi with him to give him advice on what to wear, telling Seto he had to stay out because they were planning a surprise. When Seto was finally allowed to look his jaw dropped and he seriously wondered what the hell Anzu had done to innocent Yugi to make him choose such clothes for his dark. Of course the dragon leather pants had stayed on, but the shirt was definitely a marvel. Dark violet, resembling the color of the Shadow Realm's swirling mists, smooth and tight just in the right places, but showing off Atemu's delicate back and shoulders. But right across the chest there was a slits, as if a razor-blade-sharp dragon claws had ripped through the dark fabric, and tanned skin was peaking through. Long sleeves ran down from the shoulders, widening slightly towards the end, adding a touch of old fashioned magic, which was quickly changed to a subtle punk style through more slits at the elbows.

To make it short, Seto couldn't guarantee how long that shirt was going to stay on his love, as he felt the irresistible urge to rip it off immediately.

He also suspected his brother must have something to do with it, as the color of the shirt, though darker, somehow went very well with his purple trench coat which he planned on wearing tonight.

Still, all of them together made a very nice appearance at the restaurant, where Joey elaborately told the story of Seto's defeat, while Seto threw in some especially embarrassing details about how Joey had lost against Yugi. But before they could pick a fight both of them were effectively and thoroughly distracted by their lovers, embarrassing the others and making their table receive lots of strange looks.

When their food came, Joey lost interest in the fight with Kaiba as well as in making out with Mai, pacified and, what was most important, quiet for more than half an hour. Unfortunately Anzu took over then and Seto prepared himself for a long friendship speech, when suddenly Yugi gave his girlfriend a very sweet smile, putting one hand onto her thigh, which caused her to stop and gaze adoringly at him, forgetting what she had been about to say. Seto raised a questioning eyebrow at Yugi, who gave him a mischievous wink. That little guy seemed to always be up for surprises. Atemu meanwhile was showing off how well Seto had taught him to eat with chopsticks, telling Mokuba stories about Egypt, with Seto absentmindedly correcting his Japanese a few times.

When they had finished their food, Seto paid for all of them and ushered the whole bunch into his limo. He himself had come in his own car, which he now drove home with Atemu and Mokuba, putting his little brother to bed.

When that was done, he came back to the car, smiling at Atemu, who had been waiting for him, and started the engine. Then they drove off into the night.

* * *

Dragon: Well folks, one more chapter and this part of the trilogy will be over. Aren't you happy? Lol. Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter and we hope you enjoyed this one as well! 


	9. Chapter 9

Dragon: Well this is it! The final chapter of Miracles!  
Seto-sniffs- It's over?  
Seth: Thank God! Now I ca….  
Dragon-slaps hand over Seth's mouth- hush! You'll give everything away!  
Atemu-looks at the notes for next story and smirks- Yummy for me!  
Dragon-rolls eyes- hentai!  
Atemu: Like you and Desidera are ones to talk! I believe you two were the ones to make Seto and me do the dirty deed in a bowling alley!  
Dragon-shrugs shoulders- We didn't hear any complaints.  
Seth: Well then I'll complain! I haven't gotten any action since Egyptian Dreams!  
Dragon-looks at Desidera- I think we can take care of that later….  
Desidera: Oh, definitely. –winks at her- More author's notes at the end.

**Disclaimer**: We do not own _Caught Up _by _Usher_.

Seto and Atemu: **_LIME AHEAD!  
_**Seth-groans-

**NOTICE!** It seems that our Egyptian series has been plagiarized and we have been fighting this for over a week now. We were able to get them taken down from one site only now to find them on another by the same person. At first we decided that we were going to wait till everything was taken care of but that's not fair to all of you. So… this message is for **SethKaiba/Stacey **since we know you will be copy and pasting this chapter – You need to get a life and stop claiming other people's work as your own. Us and other authors/authoresses work hard on our stories and take pride in our work but there is not much pride in stealing is there? What enjoyment does a person get out of putting their name on others work? Not much we're guessing. You have been reported not only my us but others as well and until you come to your senses and take everyone's stolen work down you can bet you will hear from us everyday! We DO NOT take kindly to thieves! You'd best remember that!

Sorry everyone but we needed to state that first. For all our loyal readers - please excuse our outburst and enjoy the last chapter!

* * *

Pounding rhythm, swirling color lights, sweat, and massive amounts of moving bodies bombarded Atemu's senses as he and Seto walked into the nightclub where they were to meet Yugi-tachi for the rest of their celebration. Squeezing Seto's hand for reassurance, he looked around wide-eyed at his surroundings. Never before had he ever seen anything quite like this before. Needless to say it was a little intimidating.

Glancing down at his petite love, Seto noticed the slightly fearful look on Atemu's face. Bending over, he whispered into his ear, "I'm right beside you."

Crimson eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness, looked deep into sapphire and he smiled. "I know. I'm fine."

"Good, now lets see if we can find everyone."

Hand in hand, Seto led Atemu effortlessly through the sea of bodies as they made their way towards the back of the club. Soon they spotted their group of friends sitting down at one of the more private semicircle booths.

Seated around Seto and all his friends, Atemu soon began to relax. Taking a quick look around, he took notice of the way people from this time danced differently that the ones from his day as ruler. Intelligent eyes watched closely, scrutinizing every move, before he smirked. This new 'modern' dancing was something he would have to try later.

The clinking of glass soon brought his attention back to the ones around him, only to notice Seto handing him a brown bottle. Atemu smiled and took the drink from him, raised it to his lips, only to stop when he got a good whiff of the substance. Raising an eyebrow in question, he turned to the CEO beside him.

"It's beer. Is that alight?"

Smirking, Atemu brought the drink back up to his lips and drowned most of the liquid from the bottle.

Everyone just blinked at Atemu, waiting for his reaction. Not getting one, Seto spoke up. "Umm Atemu, I don't think you should do that. It will affect you a lot quicker."

"I was Pharaoh. I used to drink irp and Hrqt all the time. Clean water, which you have in abundance, was a rare drink for us." (wine, beer)

Joey scratched the back of his head, "Eh, so you have a high tolerance? Cool! Do I smell a challenge in… OW! What was that for?" he asked when he was promptly kicked in the shin by Mia.

"Joseph, you big goof! No one is having a drinking contest!"

"Aww why not?"

"Joey," Yugi whined. "Don't start please? We came here to celebrate Atemu's win and I think we should add Seto's and his relationship to that."

Chucking, Seto wrapped his arm around his love's waist and pulled him close. "Yugi's right. I don't want to test the limits of the Pharaoh's abilities. I need him fully functional for tonight."

A delicate eyebrow rose as devious crimson eyes glanced at him. "iw tw m sAr n(y) hm n s-htp tw nn grh?" (Are you in need of a slave to please you this night?)

All eyes were trained on Seto while they waited for a translation but Seto neither noticed nor cared; his attention was solely on the beautiful creature beside him as he nodded his head, suddenly thankful that he had taken the time to learn the ancient language.

Leaning closer, Atemu whispered against Seto's lips, "Pr-3 iri iqr aXnwty mrt." Hungry, demanding lips met his own enticing him to surrender to his own need. (Pharaohs make excellent chamber slaves)

Breaking the kiss, Seto rested his head against his and spoke just loud enough for Atemu to hear; "mri n ib?" (want to dance?)

Nodding his head, he smirked as Seto grabbed his hand, pulling him out of the booth and onto the dance floor.

"Well that was just rude!"

Mai rolled her eyes; "Shut up Joseph and ask me to dance."

Giggling, Yugi also scooted out of the booth and held his hand out for Anzu. "Why don't we all go dance?"

_-I'm the kind of brotha  
Who been doin' it my way  
Gettin' my way for years  
In my career_

_And every lover  
In and out my life  
I've hit, love and left the tears  
Without a care—_

Atemu had long since realized the type of dancing this time had to offer. Smirking, he pulled Seto close to him, as he began to sway his hips in time with the contagious beat. Bodies flush, leather against leather, they both lost themselves in the feel of each other's movements.

_-Until I met this girl who turned the tables around  
She caught me by surprise  
I never thought I'd be the one breaking down  
I cant figure it out why—_

Sapphire eyes closed half-way as the pleasing feel of Atemu's smaller body moved against his, enticing him, teasing him, with its motions. He couldn't believe this exotic beauty was his and his alone. No one else had ever been able to crawl under his skin like this. It was beyond him why, all he knew was he wasn't ever letting go.

_-I'm so  
Caught up  
Got me feelin' it  
Caught up  
I'm losin' control  
This girls got a hold on me—_

Turning around so his back was against Seto's chest, Atemu closed his eyes as he felt strong hands roam over his body only to stop at his hips, grinding him closer to the one behind him. He smiled to himself, knowing that this man was his. He also knew that he had fallen in love with Seto and he fell hard. This strong, independent, handsome, loving man had stolen his heart and he was more than happy to give it to him.

_-And I think I like it baby  
Oh nooo, oh no  
Ooh, yeaah, oh my-_

Wow," Yugi whispered, staring at the two lovers over Anzu's shoulder – amazingly he didn't even have to stand on his tiptoes for that. "They are completely in love. Isn't that beautiful?"

Anzu sighed, "It is, dear, but I do want your attention on me now."

Yugi blushed and immediately apologized, wrapping his arms around her.

After a while he looked up at the girl and raised his eyebrow, in a sweet voice stating, "Not that I'm complaining, love, but you're leading."

Anzu grinned uncharacteristically, fiendishly and pulled her boyfriend closer, whispering something to him that was definitely only meant for his ears.

Joey didn't have much more luck.

"I'm supposed to lead, I'm the man!" he complained to Mai.

"It's because you don't have a rhythm, honey", the girl cockily replied, and then added an outraged, "Ouch! You stepped onto my foot!"

"Damn," Joey mumbled, mouth hanging open while staring into the opposite direction, "If he keeps doing that moneybags will go nuts and take him right here, in the club, on the floor!"

"Hmm, what a show to witness", Mai purred.

The blonde looked at her in horror. "'Scuse me, I think I have to throw up."

What the pharaoh was doing on the dance floor was definitely against all good manners, sliding up and down a certain CEO's body, rubbing against him, while their lips were locked intimately.

Seto's hands were wrapped around Atemu's lower body, crawling lower and stroking his butt.

"m R!" (by Ra!), the other moaned and pressed himself into the taller man.

Seto laughed and pulled away, spinning Atemu in a circle, but soon catching him again, feeling greedy for more of the crimson-eyed beauty.

"Lml-i ht-nb", he ground out (Give me everything), before he joined their lips again. "Wi mri inm-t" (I want your skin)

Atemu groaned when he heard Seto's demanding voice and felt his hand slide under his shirt, running up and down his sides and over his chest until his breathing was shallow, ragged and his thoughts incoherent.

Dancing was forgotten as raw lust flooded his senses.

"St iw nw. Wi mri nb n(y)-k " (It is time. I want all of you) he hissed, biting Seto's earlobe with gentle urgency.

The other nodded and pulled him out of the mass of bodies in record time, almost running towards the club's door. They stumbled to the car not caring about anything or anyone.

Seto was panting when he started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, going at top speed towards the mansion. Atemu ran a shaky hand through his hair and prayed to Osiris that Mokuba would already be asleep when they arrived. He certainly didn't have the patience to check up on him now.

The ride home seemed endless, silence stretching heavily between them, laced with desire and heat.

When they finally arrived the mansion welcomed them gloomily, forebodingly and if Atemu hadn't been so turned on he would almost have wanted to turn back and avoid what was irresistibly going to happen. It wasn't that he didn't want Seto, no, quite the opposite, but once it had happened he knew he couldn't turn back. He would stay with Seto, through good and through bad times, they would see each other live and die, they would love each other, they would fight each other, but they would never be separated again. It was giving himself, his heart, his soul completely, but at the same time he would be allowed to experience what he had never gotten the chance to experience with Seth. It was all so enormous, so huge, so overwhelming, and that was what would have kept him back, had he been in any lucid state of mind.

But as they entered the house those thoughts were overrated when Seto firmly captured his mouth and made him moan in new pleasure.

"Shhh," Seto whispered, putting a trembling hand onto Atemu's lips before he pulled him towards the bedroom.

Silently, Atemu followed him, battling the combination of lust and butterflies as they stepped into the CEO's bedroom. A deafening click sounded throughout the vast room that was darkened by the nightly shadows. Turning around, his breath hitched in his throat at the sight of a tall lithe body standing before him.

Tentatively, he slid a bronzed hand up Seto's chest, ghosting over his neck, until he reached the back of his hairline, snaking slim fingers into chestnut locks. Gently, he pulled the taller male closer to him, letting their lips join in a passionate kiss. Nervousness flew away as the lips on his demanded more and more from him.

He needed this, wanted this with every fiber of his being. The feeling of being loved, being _in_ love was powerful, overwhelming and completely intoxicating. A moan escaped his lips as skilled hands moved up and down his body, teasing and taunting him through the fabric of his clothes.

Relishing in the sounds his soon to be lover was making, Seto paused briefly to rid Atemu of the shirt that had drove him almost insane earlier that night. He gazed briefly into lust-clouded crimson before he gathered the small teen up into his arms, making his way over to the bed.

Greedy lips met Atemu's as Seto's body covered his own. Whimpers tumbled from his mouth as a hand massaged his thigh, over the silver dragon, only to fondle his arousal through tight leather pants.

"s-htp mrw-t." (please love) The words came out in nothing more than a whisper but Seto heard them nevertheless. Deciding to end the teasing, he quickly removed the rest of Atemu's clothes, only to find his disappearing as well.

Darkened sapphire locked with equally darkened crimson as ancient words filled the air around them.

"wi p3y-k m tm iw biAw, m pn nn hr nb ky n ii. ssp wi." (I am yours as you are mine, in this life and all others to come. Take me.)

"wi mr tn p3y-I nfr pr-3." (I love you my beautiful pharaoh.)

Smiling, Atemu reached up to pull him closer, until they lips were lightly brushing against each other. "m wi tn, Seto. tn iw p3y-I h3ty hr Ka nhh." (As I love you. You have my heart and soul forever.)

Seto felt a shiver running up and down his spine as he heard the words he had been longing to hear. That simple but powerful phrase sent him over the edge, making his heartbeat wilder than it ever had. His lover's lips were so sweet, so soft and at the same time hotter than they had ever been. His own lips were aching for the other's, the anticipation making him stomach clench. With a low moan he continued his caresses between Atemu's legs.

"Oh!", Atemu gasped and his hips rose to meet Seto's hand, while the other started licking his left earlobe, then kissed his way down Atemu's neck. Like a lotus flower their love and passion blossomed as small drops of sweat started to form on their bodies, mingling where soft skin met.

Their movements were smooth at first, like waves in the Nile, like the hot desert wind, stroking over the dunes, as Seto took it slowly, even as he wanted the pharaoh more and more, trying to make the moment last.

But soon their pace changed, as they moved less controlled, bodies joined intimately while their souls twined around each other with each thrust. Every moan held a declaration of love, of desire, their ears filled with the sweet sound.

Atemu had one hand fisted in Seto's dark hair, the other wrapped around Seto's shoulders, legs around his waist. His eyes were tightly shut as he tried not to whimper too much.

Seto looked at him and couldn't believe he had ever seen anything more beautiful. His movements stilled as he stared at the other's face, awestruck. Slowly, Atemu opened his eyes to gaze back at his lover and let him see the lust they held. Panting softly, Seto reached out to stroke his cheek tenderly.

"S-htp" (Please), Atemu whispered, his voice trembling.

"Atemu", Seto murmured, "Atemu. Atemu."

And suddenly the flame of their passion blazed up again, for a last time. "Aa...Aishiteru, Atemu", Seto moaned at the same time as the pharaoh gasped, "wi... mrk, Seto" (I...love you, Seto.) and their pleasure reached its peak.

"Ahh...", the pharaoh whispered, as he sank back into the bed sheets, trying to catch his breath, while Seto followed, lying down next to him, wrapping one arm around him, lying perfectly still. A small smile formed on Atemu's lips as he snuggled into Seto's chest and sighed contentedly.

Suddenly there was a golden glow coming from one of the corners of the room, where they had dropped their clothes along with their Sennen items.

A second later they heard an angry shout coming from the corner.

"By Ra, you damned Tomb Robber, what have you done now! I promise you I'll have you killed!"

* * *

Author's Notes:

Desidera: Another story done –sniff- It's almost sad, but only almost, because, as you might have guessed, this is not the end. Would be unfair if it was. We promised a trilogy and you'll get it.

Seth: Better get back soon, I want to have this pharaoh!

Seto-growling- He's mine, go fuck the Tomb Robber!

-both prepare to call Ka monsters-

Dragon-rolls eyes-

Desidera: So we're back to status quo here...

Anyway, we both thank you for your lovely reviews! We enjoy them so much, it is great to know you like our writings and want to read more! It really means a lot to us, so thank you all once more!

Dragon: Yep! Every single review is loved and appreciated! The next and last story is called Egyptian Visitor – so be looking for it!


End file.
